Reinier de Ridder, currently on an impressive streak in the UFC, returns to action for the fourth time this year at UFC Fight Night in Vancouver, British Columbia. His opponent will be Brendan Allen, who enters the fight with little preparation time, replacing Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, who withdrew due to an injury last month.
De Ridder, ranked among the best in his category, will seek to maintain his undefeated record in the UFC. Allen, also coming off a victory, promises a high-caliber matchup.
For Allen to win, he needs to take his opponent to the ground. Normally, he is the better wrestler in each fight that he wins. Here, I think De Ridder is probably the better wrestler. He should be able to reverse any position Allen puts him in and end up on top. I’m betting on De Ridder by decision, but I wouldn’t be surprised if De Ridder got the submission.
Din Thomas
Allen is a better striker than De Ridder, and I think he’s the better fighter. I don’t think De Ridder can take him down, so the grappling should be controlled more by Allen. If I’m wrong, I think it will be because Allen sometimes fades under a high pace. When he’s pressured a lot, we’ve seen him fall behind in the later rounds, but I think he has the tools to win this matchup.
Anthony Smith
Betting Analysis
The odds are accurate as of October 16. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET.Parker: De Ridder to win (-210). If Allen pulls off the upset, he could position himself in contention for the middleweight title in 2026. However, I believe a five-round fight favors De Ridder over Allen. De Ridder went five rounds with Robert Whittaker in July and was able to dictate the pace in the final round to secure the victory. Unless Allen catches De Ridder in the first round, his gas tank will likely run out as the fight progresses, giving De Ridder the opportunity to secure the victory.
Parker’s Best Bets on the Card
Welterweight: Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott
More than 1.5 rounds: This should be an incredibly close fight between two complete fighters. After a knockout loss to Daniel Rodriguez in July, I expect Holland, the fan favorite, to be more defensive and less reckless offensively to avoid being hit by Malott, who is on a two-fight winning streak. Malott has also been using his wrestling and ground game more recently, which will be helpful here. I think Malott will be successful with takedowns and keep Holland on his back for most of the fight. If the finish happens, I see it coming late in the fight, so take more than 1.5 rounds.Men’s Bantamweight: Aiemann Zahabi vs. Marlon Vera
Zahabi to win (-135): After his victory over José Aldo in Montreal in May, Zahabi will look to add another experienced veteran and former title challenger to his resume. Both Zahabi and Vera are extremely durable, but the difference in their fight will be Zahabi’s performance and Vera’s tendency to start slow. Zahabi also has the ability to take Vera down and keep him there, if he is not successful on his feet. On top of all that, Vera has taken a lot of damage in his 15-year professional career. This fight is most likely to go the distance and Zahabi will win by decision.Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Manon to win by decision: In her first fight since losing her title fight against Valentina Shevchenko in May, Fiorot will face the rising Jasdavicius in Fiorot’s home country, Canada. This should be an interesting fight between two talented fighters. Fiorot is the 2-to-1 favorite, and I think that makes sense. Standing, she is the better striker, and unless Jasdavicius can take Fiorot to the ground, I expect Fiorot to win a three-round kickboxing match by decision.
