De Ridder escapes gruelling middleweight cuts for UFC light heavyweight debut against Dolidze

Reinier de Ridder will make his UFC light heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze at UFC Sacramento this weekend, having abandoned the middleweight division after six draining weight cuts in just over a year left him physically and mentally spent.

The Dutch fighter, who went 1-2 at 185 pounds during his UFC tenure, said the relentless cycle of dieting had fundamentally changed his relationship with the sport. “It took all the fun out of fighting,” de Ridder told media at UFC Sacramento media day. “I was basically dieting year-round, struggling to get close year-round, so it was time.”

De Ridder pointed to his first-round bout with Brendan Allen as a turning point, saying the effort required to make weight had pushed his body beyond its limits. “I think that was just too much,” he said. “It basically pushed my body way too far.”

The move up to 205 pounds has brought an immediate change in lifestyle. De Ridder is now able to train and eat without the same restrictions that defined his middleweight camp schedules. He has also recently joined American Top Team, where daily training alongside larger fighters has helped him acclimatise to the new weight class.

Before his UFC run, de Ridder built his reputation as a two-division champion in One Championship, holding titles at both middleweight and light heavyweight. He arrives at 205 pounds with ambitions to climb quickly, and is already looking past Dolidze if Saturday goes to plan.

“If I do well this weekend and I can get a spectacular finish, next one is going to be Top 10 for sure,” he said.

A win over Dolidze would mark a significant reset for a fighter who, at his peak in One Championship, was considered one of the most dominant grapplers in the sport. Whether the weight class change restores that version of de Ridder remains to be seen, but the Dutchman is clear that his long-term future lies at light heavyweight.