Reinier de Ridder’s Back Control Brought a Quick Finish
Reinier de Ridder submitted Kevin Holland at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025. The middleweight contest at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, ended with a rear-naked choke at 3:31 of the first round, giving de Ridder his second UFC victory.
The takedown led directly to his strongest positions
De Ridder moved the fight to the canvas early and worked toward Holland’s back. He established a body triangle before placing his choking arm beneath the neck and forcing the tap.
The sequence allowed him to control both position and the finishing opportunity. Holland did not have time to turn the matchup into an extended striking contest before the submission ended it.
A different choke had opened his UFC career
De Ridder debuted against Gerald Meerschaert in November 2024 and won through an arm-triangle choke. That finish arrived at 1:44 of the third round after a considerably longer contest.
Against Holland, the Dutch middleweight secured another submission with a different technique and in much less time. The consecutive wins provided a successful opening to his promotional career.
More major tests followed during the year
De Ridder stopped Bo Nickal through strikes in May 2025, then defeated former champion Robert Whittaker by split decision over five rounds in July. Those victories extended the momentum established against Holland.
The sequence later ended against Brendan Allen through a fourth-round corner stoppage in October. The Holland performance remained an early demonstration of de Ridder’s ability to turn a takedown into back control and a decisive submission.
Sources
- UFC: takedown, body triangle and rear-naked choke
- UFC: Meerschaert debut and subsequent Nickal, Whittaker and Allen results
- UFC: official finish, date and venue
