Brendan Allen Breaks Reinier de Ridder in Vancouver, Calls Out Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus Du Plessis

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Brendan Allen made good on his promise to “break” Reinier de Ridder, scoring a rare TKO by retirement after four grueling rounds in the main event of UFC Fight Night 262 at Rogers Arena.

Stepping in on three and a half weeks’ notice to replace an injured Anthony Hernandez. Allen (26-7 MMA, 14-4 UFC) weathered early adversity against the grappling ace and ultimately broke him down with punishing ground-and-pound and relentless pace until de Ridder (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) could no longer continue.

De Ridder Dominates Early, Allen Turns the Tide

De Ridder opened strong, dragging Allen to the mat in the first round and controlling position with body triangles and submission threats. Allen survived, absorbing strikes and defending choke attempts while trying to stay composed.

The tide shifted in Round 2, when Allen reversed position after being taken down, exploding into top control and hammering away with elbows and punches. From there, the momentum never left his corner.

By the third round, de Ridder’s exhaustion was evident. Though he again secured the back and locked in a body triangle, Allen reversed and spent much of the frame in dominant position, methodically chipping away with heavy ground strikes that sapped de Ridder’s will.

The Breaking Point

Allen slammed de Ridder to the mat early in Round 4 and kept the pressure on, controlling the pace and landing steady damage from top position. When the horn sounded, de Ridder struggled to rise from his stool. His corner and the ringside doctor quickly signaled to stop the fight, giving Allen the TKO victory  his sixth straight UFC win.

“I’m the Best in the World”

With his biggest victory yet, Allen wasted no time calling out the names at the top of the division.

“This was three and a half weeks of training off the couch,” Allen told Michael Bisping post-fight. “I told you I’m a different monster. When my head’s clear and I’m on, I’m the best in the world. Chimaev, you want a grappler? Come get it, baby. If not, Dricus, where you at?”

What’s Next

Allen’s statement win cements him as a legitimate contender in the middleweight title picture, with potential bouts against Khamzat Chimaev, Dricus du Plessis, or even Sean Strickland now in play. For de Ridder, the loss marks a harsh lesson in the jump from ONE Championship dominance to UFC-level depth and a reminder that even elite grapplers can be undone by unrelenting pressure.