Reinier de Ridder is officially leaving the middleweight division behind.
The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder will make his light heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze on August 22, 2026, at UFC Fight Night in Sacramento, California.
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The three-round bout marks a permanent shift for De Ridder, who decided to move up after consecutive losses in his initial UFC campaign.
He holds a professional record of 21-4-0.
De Ridder suffered a TKO defeat to Brendan Allen in October 2025, then dropped a unanimous decision to Caio Borralho at UFC 326 in March 2026.
The repeated weight cuts to 185 pounds took a heavy toll on his body.
"205 is my home," De Ridder told MMA Junkie. "I'm never going back."
The Dutch grappler previously dominated in ONE Championship, holding both the middleweight and light heavyweight belts under a different hydration and weigh-in system.
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Moving to 205 pounds eliminates severe cuts of nearly 30 pounds.
He will now fight at his natural frame in a division recently headlined by Magomed Ankalaev's performance at UFC Abu Dhabi.
His opponent, Dolidze, is seeking stability after inconsistent results in the middleweight ranks.
The matchup pits De Ridder's grappling—he owns 13 submission wins and a 62 percent finish rate via tap-out—against Dolidze's physical striking, which includes multiple knockout finishes.
De Ridder has already proven himself against elite competition, securing a split-decision win over Robert Whittaker and a second-round finish against Bo Nickal.
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Both fighters face significant stakes in Sacramento, where a victory could push the winner toward the top 15 ranking in the light heavyweight division.
