Reinier de Ridder exposes Paulo Borrachinha and reveals why the Brazilian lost the chance to fight at UFC Vancouver

Paulo Borrachinha is a prominent Brazilian fighter in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Paulo Borrachinha almost became Reinier de Ridder 's opponent in the main event of UFC Vancouver , scheduled for next Saturday (18). The Dutchman was scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez in a duel that could define the next challenger in the middleweight division (up to 83,9 kg). However, after "Fluffy's" injury, the opportunity almost fell into the Brazilian's lap.

In an interview with 'MMA Fighting', Reinier de Ridder revealed that the UFC faced difficulties finding a new opponent after Hernandez's departure and that, for a few days, he even thought he would be without a fight. Paulo Borrachinha was the first name considered, but the Brazilian reportedly imposed demands, such as fighting at a catchweight and in three rounds, which led the UFC to abandon the negotiation.

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“It was kind of difficult to find a replacement, so for a few days I thought there might not be a fight. I was a little disappointed about that… Paulo (Borrachinha) wanted a catchweight. He wanted it to be three rounds, not five. So we said: if you don't want it that way, it's not going to happen,” said Reinier de Ridder.

The Dutchman assessed that Borrachinha missed a good opportunity to get back into the title contention by refusing the fight. De Ridder stated that he preferred to move on and face Brendan Allen , an opponent who, according to him, genuinely wanted to fight and contribute to his path towards a title shot.

"I'd say if you get an opportunity like this, don't be a coward. Just say yes. Don't make demands. He would have a great chance of getting back into the title conversation. But he set all these conditions, so we moved forward and pursued Brendan," concluded the Dutchman.

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