Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez Headline UFC Fight Night in Vancouver
The UFC’s middleweight division continues to take shape and promises strong emotions. Next October 18, Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez will face each other in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Vancouver.
The announcement was made by UFC CEO Dana White just three days after Khamzat Chimaev was crowned middleweight champion by defeating Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 in Chicago.
De Ridder (21-2), hailing from the Netherlands, has had a spectacular 2025. With a 3-0 record this year, he has defeated Kevin Holland, the promising Bo Nickal, and former champion Robert Whittaker. Since July 2024, De Ridder, 34 years old, has accumulated an impressive 5-0 with four finishes.
Hernandez (15-2) has also proven his worth, with a streak of eight consecutive victories. Nicknamed “Fluffy”, he comes from a performance that earned him a bonus against Roman Dolidze on August 9th.
De Ridder and Hernandez occupy the number 5 and 6 positions respectively in the middleweight ranking. The middleweight division will be in the spotlight in the coming months, with the match between Nassourdine Imavov (number 2) and Caio Borralho (number 7) on September 6.
In addition to the main event, White announced a bantamweight fight between Marlon Vera and Aiemann Zahabi, a middleweight clash between Holland and Mike Mallott, and a women’s flyweight fight between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius, also scheduled for the event in Vancouver.
