Caio Borralho's rival reveals relief at not having faced Israel Adesanya in the UFC: 'He would have given me a beating'

Reinier de Ridder defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi . Photo: Instagram/UFC

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Reinier de Ridder admits to feeling some relief when he remembers that he was close to facing Israel Adesanya at UFC Vancouver , held in October 2025. Scheduled to face Caio Borralho in the co-main event of UFC 326, the Dutchman recalled his performance against Brendan Allen , when he ended up giving up the fight in the fourth round due to physical exhaustion, and assessed that the situation could have been even worse if his opponent that night had been the Nigerian.

In an interview with 'STAMDEMUP', De Ridder, who had negotiated a fight with the Nigerian, assessed that, given the circumstances at UFC Vancouver , he would have suffered an even tougher setback had he faced Israel Adesanya.

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“I’m glad that didn’t happen, because he (Adesanya) would have given me a worse beating than Brendan Allen gave me that night. In that state, I don’t think I would have beaten anyone, to be honest,” said Reinier De Ridder.

Israel Adesanya admits he missed a golden opportunity in the UFC.

Israel Adesanya fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter/UFCBrasil

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Israel Adesanya believes he missed a great opportunity within the UFC. The former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg) was approached by the organization to replace Anthony Hernandez and face Reinier de Ridder in the main event of UFC Vancouver , scheduled for October 2025. However, an injury suffered during training prevented him from stepping into the octagon and taking advantage of the chance to get closer to the top of the division again.

“I was going to fight last year, but I got injured at the gym. That opportunity was taken from me. It would also have been a fight on short notice, and I’ve never done one of those, so it would have been exciting,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.

Reinier de Ridder was humiliated at UFC Vancouver.

Brandon Allen defeated Reinier de Ridder at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

With Israel Adesanya out of the card, Brandan Allen seized the opportunity and accepted to face Reinier de Ridder in the main event of UFC Vancouver . After a strong first round from the Dutchman, the American noticed a drop in his opponent's performance, who ended up showing exhaustion and gave up the fight between the fourth and fifth rounds.

Caio Borralho is a big favorite against Reinier De Ridder at UFC 326.

Borralho celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Looking to rediscover his form, Reinier De Ridder returns to action at UFC 326, scheduled for March 7th, against Caio Borralho . 'The Nerd' is the favorite among bettors for the UFC 326 fight. According to Stake , the Brazilian has odds of 1,38, representing a return of R$13,80 for every R$10 wagered. The Dutchman, on the other hand, is the underdog, with odds of 3,05, equivalent to a return of R$30,5 for every R$10 invested in his victory.

Stake Brasil, official sponsor of the UFC.

Stake is the official sponsor of the UFC in Brazil, as well as names like Alex Poatan , Alexandre Pantoja , and Israel Adesanya . The betting platform is fully licensed in Brazil and offers complete security for you to place your bets. Click here to register.

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