After quick UFC 311 win, Reinier de Ridder hits fast track with Robert Whittaker, Khamzat Chimaev callouts

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – If someone told Reinier de Ridder to shoot for the moon if he had a big night at UFC 311, he passed the test.

De Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) opened the UFC 311 main card Saturday at Intuit Dome with a stunning submission of Kevin Holland (26-13 MMA, 13-10 UFC). The grappling specialist did precisely what he said he would do – and precisely what Holland said he’d be stunned to see happen.

Afterward, de Ridder, a simultaneous two-division titleholder for ONE Championship before he came to the UFC, used his post-fight news conference to go big with what he wants next after a second UFC win.

De Ridder would welcome a shot at former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker or the highly touted Khamzat Chimaev.

“Khamzat and Whittaker, (I’d like to fight),” de Ridder told MMA Junkie after his win. “Khamzat will be cool for a grapplers matchup – would be cool for all that he’s done. Please – I hope they give me this. It would be amazing. I can be ready as soon as they are.”

De Ridder also said he’d be interested in a fight against the winner of ex-middleweight champ Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov, who headline UFC Saudi Arabia in two weeks.

One question critics had for de Ridder ahead of his first UFC fight was just how good the Dutchman was, given his success was outside the UFC. But with back-to-back submissions to open his run in the promotion, and the big callouts, the 34-year-old is fast-tracking himself.

Check out de Ridder’s full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.