November 6, 2024 8:30 pm ET
LAS VEGAS – Reinier de Ridder is in search of a memorable introduction to the octagon Saturday in opposition to Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Fight Night 247.
Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder de Ridder (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his anticipated entry to promotion when he takes on all-time middleweight finishes and submissions document holder Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) on the UFC Apex (ESPN+).
It’s been a longtime dream of de Ridder to fight in the octagon, and he thinks matchmakers giving him an opponent like Meerschaert proper off the bat reveals he’s being set as much as make some noise.
“Lastly, in spite of everything these years of speaking in regards to the prime guys, to lastly be near getting them could be very cool,” de Ridder informed MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC Combat Night time 247 media day. “Crucial that is Gerald first. It’s a really cool matchup. It’s cool that it’s right here. … Let’s see what I can do.” At 34, time is of the essence for de Ridder. He mentioned he feels contemporary and wholesome after plenty of time without work throughout his last years beneath the ONE Championship banner, and is eager to “make up for misplaced time” now that he’s within the UFC.
With a view to get the alternatives he desires, although, de Ridder is aware of he can’t scrape by with a win. He must do one thing emphatic in opposition to Meerschaert, and that’s precisely his intentions.
“A win isn’t sufficient – the highest canines completed Gerald and I need to show I’m one in every of them,” de Ridder mentioned. “To be trustworthy, if I can ever get near one of many information he holds, it could be superb. So cool to see him struggle, I’ve at all times watched his fights and that’s an important factor for this struggle as nicely. There’s a lot tape to check. He has a lot fights. He has a extremely tough fashion.
“The methods he finishes fights, there’s a couple of issues he’s very harmful at, there’s a couple of issues he does that I feel I can actually capitalize as nicely. But it surely’s an important matchup. I’m very pleased that they’ve given me him for my first struggle as a result of he’s a veteran, he’s an actual title and I feel if I can put a stamp on this one, I’ve some leverage to start out calling out some larger names.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 247.
Be sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
