UFC: Renier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen Preview and Predictions

Now, de Ridder faces someone who may be his most intriguing stylistic challenge yet in Brendan "All In" Allen, a gritty and opportunistic grappler who is notoriously difficult to put away and possesses the finishing instincts to capitalize on the smallest mistake. The two will headline UFC Fight Night 262 in Vancouver, Canada.

Both men are submission specialists, with de Ridder boasting 13 submission wins in his 21 victories, while Allen has secured 14 submission wins.

De Ridder's significant size and reach advantages will be a major factor, allowing him to control distance on the feet and create leverage in grappling exchanges. 

The Dutchman's path to victory hinges on utilizing these physical advantages and his elite grappling pedigree. As a massive middleweight with a black belt in BJJ, de Ridder is adept at closing the distance, wearing opponents down in the clinch, and dragging fights to the mat where his slick submission game can take over. 

His unorthodox striking and control-heavy ground game will be key to neutralizing Allen's offense. The fact that Allen took this fight on short notice to replace Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez may also play into de Ridder's hands, as he can push a grueling pace over five rounds. 

Allen's best chance lies in his resilience and opportunistic submission skills. While de Ridder may have the purer technical grappling, Allen is a proven finisher who is exceptionally dangerous in scrambles.

His key will be to weather the early storm, force de Ridder into uncomfortable positions on the ground, and latch onto a neck or limb the moment an opening appears. Furthermore, if he can stuff de Ridder's takedown attempts and force a standing battle, he may find success, as he has a slight edge against de Ridder with 3.85 strikes landed per minute compared to de Ridder’s 2.95. 

Betting markets heavily favor de Ridder. His dominant run in the UFC, which includes defeating a world-class wrestler in Bo Nickal and a former champion with superior striking in Robert Whittaker, has established him as a formidable force. 

Allen should not be completely counted out, as he has five-round durability and is a constant submission threat. That being said, de Ridder is on the upswing and will very likely win this bout and become a legitimate title contender.