Reinier de Ridder didn’t have the blowout performance he wanted in his octagon debut against Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Fight Night 247 , but he got the win and a finish. Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder de Ridder (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) went back-and-forth with Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC) on the feet and ground before he finally snatched an arm-triangle choke for the tap at the 1:44 mark of Round 3 in the middleweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (via X ): DE RIDDER GETS THE SUBMISSION WIN IN HIS UFC DEBUT #UFCVegas100 pic.twitter.com/a8PsbkeRwF — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 10, 2024 Meerschaert was on point with his boxing to start the fight, tagging de Ridder multiple times and rejecting takedown attempts. He found comfort as the minutes wore on, however, and became more aggressive with his grappling pursuits before landing a huge left hand that dropped Meerschaert in the final seconds of the opening round. Saved by the bell [ #UFCVegas100 | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/DPBv8ursgn — UFC (@ufc) November 10, 2024 With confidence on his side going into the second frame, de Ridder secured an early takedown and established top control
View post: