Reinier De Ridder Eyeing Rountree, Stirling for Next Light Heavyweight Bout
Reinier De Ridder just added another victory to his name at UFC Sacramento, and he's already eyeing up his next opponents, Khalil Rountree Jr. and Navajo Stirling.
Reinier de Ridder is back in the win column, and he is already scouting his next moves in a brand-new weight class. Following a dominant light heavyweight debut at UFC Sacramento, the former ONE Championship two-division kingpin made it clear that he wants to keep his momentum rolling against high-profile strikers in the 205-pound division.
De Ridder Targets Top Strikers After Dominant Debut
De Ridder's move up to 205 pounds came on the heels of a tough two-fight skid at middleweight against Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho. However, the Dutchman looked completely re-energized in his new division, dismantling Roman Dolidze via first-round TKO at the Golden 1 Center. After surviving early leg-lock attempts from Dolidze on the mat, de Ridder established back control and unleashed relentless ground-and-pound to force the stoppage at 4:01 of Round 1.
Having suffered zero damage in the brief encounter, de Ridder revealed post-fight that he plans to make a rapid return to the Octagon. When asked about potential future matchups at light heavyweight, the 35-year-old grappler showed zero interest in facing Robert Whittaker, but enthusiastically greenlit matchups against Khalil Rountree Jr. and undefeated prospect Navajo Stirling.
When presented with the options, de Ridder shut down a potential clash with Whittaker while welcoming the other two with open arms.
"No, not Whittaker, but Navajo, yes," de Ridder stated. When asked if Stirling or Rountree sounded good for his next outing, he replied, "Yeah, perfect, good fights, let's go."
A matchup against either fighter offers a fascinating clash of styles. Rountree Jr., boasting a 15-7 professional record, remains one of the most explosive kickboxers in the division, featuring notable knockout victories over Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker. Meanwhile, Stirling has emerged as a dangerous rising force at 205 pounds, bringing an unblemished 11-0 record and dangerous Muay Thai pedigree into the mix.
For de Ridder, who holds a 22-4 professional record with 13 submission victories, matching his suffocating submission grappling against elite power-strikers like Rountree or Stirling provides the ideal launchpad to climb the light heavyweight ranks. With no injuries to recover from and his confidence fully restored, "The Dutch Knight" is ready to turn his light heavyweight debut into a full-scale championship charge.
