With four UFC wins in less than a year as a contracted fighter, Reinier de Ridder reached fifth place in the middleweight rankings (up to 39 kg) after beating Robert Whittaker last Saturday (26). In this great phase, the Dutchman has been challenged by Paulo Borrachinha in recent days. In this context, despite recognizing the Brazilian's sense of humor, he does not seem interested in a duel in the short term.
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In an interview with the 'Inside MMA' podcast this Wednesday (30), the former ONE Championship champion ruled out the possibility of facing Borrachinha in the near future and also made a point of clarifying that he does not care about the Brazilian's provocations.
"It would lead to a good press conference and good preparation, but I don't give a damn about what he says. Call me gay every day of the week—I don't care. Maybe one day, but right now, I don't think he's on my level," said de Ridder, still injured after his fight with Whittaker.
Reinier de Ridder has no interest in fighting Paulo Costa and couldn't care less about what he says
“It would lead to a nice press conference and a nice build-up, but I don't give a f*** what he says. Call me gay every day of the week — I don't mind. Maybe one day, but at… pic.twitter.com/ISTBEHKEnm
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 30, 2025
Currently ranked 12th in the division, the Brazilian broke a two-fight losing streak at UFC 318 with a victory against Russian Roman Kopylov . In addition to De Ridder, Brendan Allen also stated he had no interest in facing Borrachinha in the next round.
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Read More about: Paulo borrachinha, Average weight, Ridder's Reinier, UFC
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