Reinier de Ridder has an ace up his sleeve in the form of a UFC Hall of Famer.
Since making his Octagon debut in November 2024, 'RDR' has taken the UFC by storm, securing four straight wins, including a highlight-reel finish of Bo Nickal and a gritty split decision victory over ex-titleholder Robert Whittaker. Now, the Dutchman is gearing up for another tough test when he takes on Brendan Allen in the UFC Vancouver main event on Saturday, October 18.
Determined to leave no stone unturned, de Ridder revealed during a recent interview that his team has brought in former welterweight king Robbie Lawler to help hone his skills.
Robbie [Lawler] is a big part of it as well at the moment," de Ridder told
. "It's nice to have that inside–all the knowledge that Robbie has in training is very useful, it's very helpful... Technique-wise, he's really helped me a lot. I think maybe personality-wise we're pretty similar.
Will Allen Capitalize on His Golden Opportunity Against Reinier de Ridder?
Originally, 'RDR' was scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez in the evening's headliner, before 'Fluffy' bowed out due to an injury. Instead it'll be Allen stepping into the spotlight to take on the former two-division ONE world champion.
'All In' is fresh off a big win over Marvin Vettori in July, snapping a two-fight losing skid and keeping him within earshot of the middleweight top 10. With a win over de Ridder in The Great White North, Allen could skyrocket himself all the way into the top five, putting him potentially one big win away from his own shot at UFC gold.
Of course, de Ridder will do everything he can to prevent that from happening, and bringing in a legend like 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler is a pretty good start.