Reinier de Ridder is leaving nothing to chance in his pursuit of UFC gold. Fresh off his knockout victory over Bo Nickal, the Dutch middleweight contender revealed he’s relocating his entire family to the United States to maximize his fighting career.
“We’re going all in on the US move,” de Ridder told MMA Junkie. “I have to, man. I have to. These are the years and we found a school for the kids and everything is set up there. So, yeah, it’s time.”
The 34-year-old former ONE Championship double champion has been on a torrid pace since joining the UFC, compiling a 3-0 record in less than a year. His commitment to uprooting his life demonstrates his determination to capitalize on his current momentum.
De Ridder plans to establish his training base at Kill Cliff FC in South Florida, home to numerous UFC contenders, where he can prepare for his upcoming main event against former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26.
“For some reason it hasn’t really been more than a week after every fight that they booked me a new one,” he noted. “So, I think this might be after this one. It might not be any different if it all goes well.”
With the middleweight title picture taking shape as Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev prepare to clash at UFC 319 in August, de Ridder’s life-changing move signals his all-in commitment to securing his place in that championship conversation.
