Israel Adesanya Nearly Accepted Short-Notice Bout vs. Reinier de Ridder Last Year

The former middleweight champion was ready to step in on short notice before an injury derailed those plans.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Israel Adesanya revealed that he was prepared to accept a short-notice fight against Reinier de Ridder in October 2025 before an injury suffered in training forced him to withdraw from the opportunity. Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion, is set to headline UFC Seattle against Joe Pyfer on March 28 in his first fight since a TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov last February.

Why it matters

Adesanya's willingness to take a short-notice fight against a top contender like de Ridder shows his competitive drive and desire to stay active, even after suffering a recent defeat. The fact that an injury prevented the matchup from materializing is a disappointment, but it also highlights the risks and challenges fighters face in the unpredictable world of MMA.

The details

Adesanya said he was already training and preparing for a fight when the opportunity to face de Ridder on short notice came up. However, an injury suffered in the gym ultimately prevented him from accepting the assignment. Instead, Brendan Allen stepped in to fight de Ridder at UFC Vancouver, earning a fourth-round stoppage victory.

  • Adesanya was set to fight de Ridder on short notice, around 5-6 weeks, in October 2025.
  • Adesanya's last fight was a TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2026.

The players

Israel Adesanya

The former UFC middleweight champion who is set to headline UFC Seattle against Joe Pyfer on March 28, 2026.

Reinier de Ridder

The former ONE Championship two-division title holder who was scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez at UFC Vancouver before an injury replacement was needed.

Joe Pyfer

The Dana White's Contender Series alum who will face Adesanya in the UFC Seattle main event on March 28, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“I was going to fight last year, but then I got injured in the gym, and then that opportunity got taken away. It was a short-notice fight, as well. And I've never done one of those, so that would have been exciting.”

— Israel Adesanya (YouTube)

“I want to shine. That's the thing, I always want to shine. And I will shine. So, I can't wait. I know what I can do, and I feel like people haven't seen my full array of skills yet. I just want to show off a lot of skills that I haven't showed off yet.”

— Israel Adesanya (YouTube)

What’s next

Adesanya will look to bounce back from his recent defeat when he faces Joe Pyfer in the UFC Seattle main event on March 28, 2026.

The takeaway

Adesanya's willingness to accept a short-notice fight against a top contender like de Ridder demonstrates his competitive drive and desire to stay active, even after a recent setback. While the matchup ultimately did not materialize due to injury, it highlights the unpredictable nature of MMA and the challenges fighters face in maintaining momentum in their careers.