Khamzat Chimaev Warns Reinier de Ridder: “I’ll Make You Look Like a White Belt” Ahead of Potential UFC 321 Clash
Khamzat Chimaev wasted no time targeting his next opponent after capturing the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 319 on Saturday night. The new champion called out Dutch contender Reinier de Ridder with a provocative message that set social media on fire.
Khamzat Chimaev Wants Reinier de Ridder Next
‘Borz’ Khamzat Chimaev posted a simple but direct message on X, writing “RDR ☠️” in reference to de Ridder’s initials. De Ridder quickly responded with “Congrats on the belt @KChimaev.But I will show you what true grappling dominance looks like. Sign the contract.”
Chimaev fired back with a bold warning in the comments: “I’m gonna make you look like [a] white belt, habibi.
Chimaev’s Dominant Title Victory
The 31-year-old ‘Borz’ Chimaev secured his first UFC title with a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Dricus du Plessis at the United Center in Chicago. All three judges scored the contest 50-44 in favor of the Chechen-born wrestler, marking one of the most dominant title performances in recent memory.
Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling proved unstoppable throughout the 25-minute contest. He completed 12 of 17 takedown attempts and maintained control on the ground for an astonishing 21 minutes and 40 seconds, representing nearly 88% of the total fight time. The champion landed 529 total strikes compared to du Plessis’s 45, setting a new UFC record in the process.
“I never game-plan. I just came in, worked like I do in the gym,” Chimaev said after the victory. “That guy, I couldn’t finish [him], [I] respect that guy. He’s the only champion who was saying my name”.
De Ridder’s Impressive UFC Run
Reinier de Ridder brings significant credentials to any potential title shot. The 34-year-old Dutch fighter entered the UFC in November 2024 with an impressive pedigree as a former two-division champion in ONE Championship, where he held both the middleweight and light heavyweight belts simultaneously.
De Ridder has maintained a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC with three victories coming by finish. His most recent triumph came in July when he defeated former champion Robert Whittaker by split decision at UFC Abu Dhabi, despite being dropped in the third round. The victory marked his first decision win in the UFC following earlier submission victories over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland, plus a TKO of highly touted prospect Bo Nickal.
October Showdown in Abu Dhabi
Both fighters have expressed interest in meeting at UFC 321 on October 25 in Abu Dhabi. The event is already scheduled to feature a heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane in the main event. Chimaev indicated his desire for a quick turnaround after expressing interest in defending his title in the UAE capital.
“I’ll be 100 percent ready [for October],” de Ridder stated during a recent interview with Submission Radio. “I’m still in shape, I didn’t stop training. I did eat a little bit too much, but I can adjust that very quickly as well. And I will 100 percent be ready for that opportunity [to challenge Chimaev]”
The potential bout presents an interesting clash of grappling styles. Chimaev’s smothering wrestling approach has overwhelmed every opponent in his 15-fight undefeated career, while de Ridder brings elite submission skills with 13 of his 21 professional victories coming via tapout.
Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker, who has faced both men, believes de Ridder could pose unique challenges. He’s a tall, bottom player jiu-jitsu guy. Then if he does respect his ground, like he did in the Burns fight and it becomes a bit of a slugfest, I think de Ridder’s really unconventional. He’s got some annoying attacks and shots that might give Chimaev some grief”.
De Ridder expressed confidence in his ability to handle Chimaev’s wrestling dominance. “I believe I am a very big challenge for him,” he told Submission Radio. “If I get taken down, perfect. If I take him down, perfect. If we are still standing, also great. I think I have a good chance of doing well in this fight”.
The Dutchman specifically highlighted his bottom game as a potential weapon: “I have some sneaky stuff from the bottom. I can really make it hard on him once I put him on [his] back”.
A victory over de Ridder would mark Chimaev’s first title defense and further establish his dominance over the middleweight division. For de Ridder, the opportunity represents a chance to become the first fighter to hand Chimaev his first professional loss while capturing UFC gold in the process. His unorthodox style and submission expertise could provide the blueprint to solve the puzzle that has stumped every previous Chimaev opponent.
The verbal sparring between the two fighters has already generated significant fan interest, setting the stage for what could be one of the most compelling title fights of 2025 if the matchup materializes in Abu Dhabi.
