Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight finishers Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen will go to war (Sat., Oct. 18, 2025) inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for UFC Vancouver.
de Ridder has been in the UFC for less than 12 months but has taken the promotion by storm. He’s already picked up four quality wins, a trio of finishes and then a main event war opposite former champion Robert Whittaker. Nassourdine Imavov is still the odds-on favorite to score the next Middleweight title shot (right?!?!?!), but there’s a real chance “The Dutch Knight” could sneak ahead of him if victorious here.
Allen, conversely, is stepping up on short-notice after Anthony Hernandez’s injury last month (details here). On the plus side, he’s coming off a victory, a reasonably entertaining slugfest opposite whatever’s left of Marvin Vettori. This is a huge opportunity for Allen, who has historically come up short in his chances against truly elite Middleweight opposition.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 19: Brendan Allen of the United States (L) and Marvin Vettori of Italy face off during their middleweight bout during UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3 at the Smoothie King Center on July 19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Getty Images
De Ridder vs. Allen Betting Odds
- Reinier de Ridder victory: -198
- Reinier de Ridder via TKO/KO/DQ: +400
- Reinier de Ridder via submission: +185
- Reinier de Ridder via decision: +330
- Brendan Allen victory: +164
- Brendan Allen via TKO/KO/DQ: +500
- Brendan Allen via submission: +600
- Brendan Allen via decision: +600
- Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 26: (L-R) Reinier de Ridder of The Netherlands kicks Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on July 26, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
De Ridder is an accomplished jiu-jitsu black belt with very slack grappling regardless of whether he’s in top or bottom position. On the feet, de Ridder is definitely hittable, but he pushes a brutal pace and lately has really been taking the wind from his opponent’s sails by slamming the mid-section with stepping knees.
I expect those knees to be important here. Allen has fatigued in previous fights, and he’s taking this one on relatively short-notice. If de Ridder is able to put him on the back foot, threaten takedowns, and start blasting knees, that’s a grueling style of fight. Allen will feel the lack of preparation sooner than later.
De Ridder has to wrestle carefully here. Takedowns should definitely be part of his attack, but he cannot sell out on them entirely. Allen is a strong grappler himself, and de Ridder doesn’t want to put himself in bad positions needlessly. Consistent pressure and offense will eventually open a path for him to gain top control — he doesn’t have to force it.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 19: Brendan Allen punches Marvin Vettori of Italy in a middleweight bout during the UFC 318 event at Smoothie King Center on July 19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
Allen feels like a fighter who has yet to fully put all the pieces together. He has excellent jiu-jitsu, strong wrestling, and a varied kickboxing game. Sometimes, Allen puts together his combinations beautifully, and other times, he looks hesitant to exchange at all.
There is a path here for Allen to not only win but make an emphatic statement. His boxing is much cleaner, and de Ridder stands tall with his hands low all the time. “All In” can’t fully match de Ridder’s height and reach, but he comes closer than most Middleweights, so he stands a reasonable shot at catching de Ridder leaning away from the pocket if he extends his combinations.
I’d also really like to see Allen actively trying to counter takedowns with offense. If he can gain top position off a failed de Ridder shot, he should! Allen has the skills to avoid triangles and pummel de Ridder with ground strikes. This is particularly true if he’s already stung de Ridder with punches on the feet as well. Anatoly Malykhin doesn’t have Allen’s jiu-jitsu credentials, but he was still able to work over “RDR” on the canvas.
Allen wins this fight by hitting de Ridder hard and breaking him down, so he shouldn’t be passing on chances to do damage.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 26: Reinier de Ridder of The Netherlands prepares to face Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on July 26, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
de Ridder vs. Allen Prediction
I’m definitely expecting a fun fight here and view Allen as a live dog. He is the better technical striker and might have the pure wrestling edge as well. Unfortunately for “All In,” I’m wary of both the short-notice nature of the booking and Allen’s general ability to follow the gameplan. I’ve seen Allen make costly mistakes and fail to make the most of his skill set on more than one occasion, and that’s a big concern here.
de Ridder is locked in. He understands how he wins fights, and he doesn’t lose focus when faced with adversity. He may be the uglier striker, but he’s just as likely to hurt Allen with his strikes. More importantly, when both men are a little tired and bloody, I trust de Ridder to capitalize on the openings available and find his way into top position.
Prediction: de Ridder via submission
MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Sat., Oct. 18, 2025, with a stacked ESPN+-streamed fight card. In UFC Vancouver’s main event, streaking Dutch sensation, Reinier de Ridder, faces gritty submission specialist, Brendan Allen (not Anthony Hernandez) in a high-stakes clash that could propel the winner toward 185-pound title contention. In UFC Vancouver’s co-headliner, fan-favorite, Kevin Holland, takes on Canadian hopeful, Mike Malott, both vying for a pivotal win in UFC’s crowded 170-pound division. All that and SO MUCH MORE!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vancouver fight card, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 7 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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