Alex Poatan unconscious after being knocked out by Israel Adesanya . Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Rising rapidly in the UFC middleweight division (up to 83,9kg), Reinier de Ridder demonstrates that, unlike many fighters, what motivates him to accept challenges is admiration, not anger or hatred towards a rival. Currently ranked fifth in the division, the Dutchman opened up and spoke about his future interests in the octagon.
To provide context, the athlete admitted that the fight against Robert Whittaker was driven by the positive feeling he had for the Australian. When mentioning another fighter who generates the same feeling, de Ridder mentioned Israel Adesanya and declared his respect for the Nigerian, recalling his great knockout of Alex Poatan at UFC 287.
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“If I really admire a guy like I did with Whittaker, that would be a better reason to fight someone I hate. Someone like Adesanya, I admire him a lot for what he’s done in the sport. He still has the best story of all time, defeating Pereira in his last fight. The way he fights is very refined. That would be a better reason for me to fight someone than 'Oh, I really hate this guy',” Reinier said in an interview with Inside Fighting.
Despite the statement, Ridder avoided directly challenging the former champion. Adesanya has also not yet expressed interest in facing the Dutchman in his next fight. In a recent statement, the Nigerian asked for the chance to get revenge on Sean Strickland in his next fight.
Targeted by Paulo Borrachinha , Ridder has already downplayed the chances of facing the Brazilian again. According to the Dutchman, his rival's provocations are good, but regarding skill, the Brazilian is not yet at his level.
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