"Worst Week I've Ever Had": Reinier De Ridder Recalls Brutal Weight Cut Before Borralho Clash
Reinier De Ridder knew that he could not sustain himself at middleweight even before his fight against Caio Borralho at UFC 326.
Making weight in modern mixed martial arts is often called the fight before the fight, and for former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder, squeezing his massive six-foot-four frame down to 185 pounds finally hit a hard wall inside the UFC.
Ahead of his March 2026 middleweight clash against rising contender Caio Borralho, the Dutchman knew before he even stepped on the scale that his time at 185 pounds was officially over. Following a tough corner-stoppage loss to Brendan Allen, "The Dutch Knight" suffered a lopsided unanimous decision defeat to Borralho, looking sapped of the explosive grappling and relentless cardio that previously defined his career.
Speaking on the brutal weight cut that preceded the performance, de Ridder held nothing back regarding the physical toll it took.
"It was before the fight, during the weight cut I said Iām never doing this again," de Ridder admitted. "Everything went wrong. That fight week was the worst week Iāve ever had."
Bouncing Back at Light Heavyweight
De Ridder made good on his word immediately after that rough night, opting to abandon the 185-pound division entirely and move up 20 pounds to light heavyweight. Dropping the draining weight cut paid instant dividends when he returned to the Octagon at UFC Sacramento against Roman Dolidze.
Looking noticeably refreshed, hydrated, and carrying his natural power, de Ridder put on a masterclass performance. He snapped his two-fight skid by stopping Dolidze via first-round TKO, improving his professional record to 22-4 and instantly establishing himself as a dangerous new threat in the 205-pound ranks.
Weight cutting has compromised countless world-class martial artists, but recognizing the limit often separates enduring contenders from burnt-out veterans. Now competing without sapping his body, the 35-year-old grappler feels he has given his UFC career a second life. By leaving the grueling middleweight cuts behind, de Ridder has reclaimed his peak form and looks fully prepared to make a serious run toward the top of the light heavyweight division.
