Reinier de Ridder is set to make his UFC light heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze at UFC Fight Night this Saturday, shifting his focus from middleweight contention to new opportunities at 205 pounds. After a rapid rise in the middleweight division, where he secured four victories in seven months, De Ridder faced setbacks that forced him to reevaluate his approach.

Despite a promising start, De Ridder's momentum stalled after a tough loss to Brendan Allen, where his corner ultimately threw in the towel. Reflecting on his struggles, he stated, "I pushed my body too far. Too many weight cuts and training camps in too short a time period."

After taking nearly six months off, De Ridder returned against Caio Borralho at UFC 326, but suffered another defeat. At 35 years old, he is eager to avoid starting over at middleweight, opting instead for a division where he feels more physically suited.

De Ridder and Dolidze share a similar size, making this matchup ideal as he transitions into the light heavyweight category.

• Notable former middleweights like Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker have also moved up, experiencing varying degrees of success in the new division.
• De Ridder believes his experience fighting larger opponents in ONE Championship gives him an edge, stating, "I’ll be the same height as the 205 guys."

Looking ahead, De Ridder aims for a dominant performance against Dolidze to secure a matchup with a top 10 contender. He remains confident that if he performs well, a title shot will soon follow:

It's all in my hands. If I do well and put guys away like I know I can, I think I'll be close to fighting for a title soon.