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Willl RDR continue his unbeaten run in the UFC?
Reinier De Ridder vs. Brendan Allen prediction
MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom offers his breakdown and prediction for the UFC 320 main event.
Dan Tom
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC Fight Night 262 main event between Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen.
Reinier de Ridder UFC Fight Night 262 preview
Staple info:
- Record: 21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC
- Height: 6’4″ Age: 35 Weight: 185 lbs. Reach: 78″
- Last fight: Decision win over Robert Whittaker (July 26, 2025)
- Camp: Combat Brothers/Sanford MMA (Florida)
- Stance/striking style: Southpaw/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
- + Former ONE light heavyweight and heavyweight champion
- + Regional MMA titles
- + Jiu-jitsu black belt
- + Judo base
- + 4 KO victories
- + 14 submission wins
- + 11 first-round finishes
- + Aggressive pace and pressure
- + Steadily improved southpaw striking
- ^ Good jabs and active kicker
- + Crafty inside the clinch
- ^ Hard body knees off tie-ups
- + Improved wrestling
- ^ Works well off single-legs
- + Excellent transitional grappler
- ^ Dangerous submission acumen
Brendan Allen UFC Fight Night 262 preview
Staple info:
- Record: 25-7 MMA, 13-4 UFC
- Height: 6’2″ Age: 29 Weight: 185 lbs. Reach: 75.5″
- Last fight: Decision win over Marvin Vettori (July 19, 2025)
- Camp: VFS Academy (Chicago)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
- + Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
- + Regional MMA titles
- + Amateur MMA accolades
- + 5 KO victories
- + 14 submission wins
- + 11 first-round finishes
- + Aggressive pace and pressure
- + Steadily improved striking
- ^ Sharper techniques and combinations
- + Hard kicks and knees
- + Strong inside the clinch
- ^ Serviceable takedown ability
- +Excellent grappler from topside
- ^ Dangerous rear-naked choke artist
- +/- 9-2 against UFC-level southpaws
- +/- Fighting on five weeks’ notice
Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen point of interest: Striking with a southpaw
The main event in Vancouver features an impromptu matchup between ranked middleweights who fight out of opposite stances.
Brendan Allen, the orthodox fighter in this equation, has a surprising amount of experience against southpaws, currently standing 9-2 against UFC-level lefties.
Unlike many fighters in MMA, Allen will actually use his lead hand to jab in an open stance. Not only does this help even the playing field when it comes to southpaw advantages, but it also assists Allen’s ability to launch power kicks from the rear side.
Working for a few years with noted striking coach Henri Hooft, Allen has noticeably sharpened his offensive striking flow and technique. Now, working with Mike Valle over at VFS Academy, I wonder if Allen will make any stylistic shifts in the near future.
Regardless, Allen is still not beyond being countered due to his aggressive nature, so I’ll be curious how he conducts himself against the deceptive threats that Reinier de Ridder brings to the table.
Although de Ridder is primarily known for his grappling, the Dutchman has proven that his striking skills are not to be overlooked.
Aside from being long and lanky, de Ridder is a southpaw who likes to stay active with his jab. When feeling in stride, de Ridder can build off of his jab and put together strikes, typically punctuating his presence with underrated kicks and knees.
De Ridder’s front teeps, in particular, have proven to be a useful tool that works both defensively and offensively for “The Dutch Knight.” That said, de Ridder’s defense has traditionally been porous, given that he leaves his head hanging high to be swatted like a tetherball.
Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen point of interest: Potential grappling threats
Considering that grappling is the crux of both of the games of de Ridder and Allen, establishing superior positions will be extra crucial for both parties this weekend.
Despite coming from a judo base, de Ridder has made some steady improvements to his wrestling since shifting his training camps stateside to train at Sanford MMA in South Florida. De Ridder will still try for cheeky uchi mata attempts from the clinch, but the Dutchman is also not shy about changing levels for a more traditional double-leg takedown when the occasion calls for it.
Although he might lack some athleticism and explosivity on his entries and finishes, de Ridder does a deceptively decent job of chaining to and from the single-position. Once de Ridder can ground his opposition, his massive frame starts to resemble a giant squid swallowing a ship at sea, given how he engulfs his opponents.
Luckily for Allen, he’s far from a slouch on the mat himself.
A dogged grappler since Day 1, the Louisianian is a skilled Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who operates with the aggression of a blue belt at their first tournament.
Whether Allen is abandoning positions for risky submissions or opting for rear-naked choke attempts without any hooks in, “All-in” has proven that he can live up to his nickname and still find success at this level. Since working with the large stable at Kill Cliff FC, Allen has gotten better at both maintaining positions, as well as doing more damage with strikes from topside.
Now, working with the likes of Belal Muhammad and company over in Chicago, I’ll be curious to see if Allen can show more progress and consistency in this part of his game. De Ridder is not beyond being taken down, but the Dutch fighter has proven to be difficult to finish – even when he’s on his back.
Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen odds
The oddsmakers and the public are siding with the fighter with a full camp, listing de Ridder -210 and Allen +162 via FanDuel.
Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen prediction, pick
Despite my belief that Allen is a deceptively tough matchup for de Ridder from a skill-for-skill perspective, Allen – even with full preparation – has shown some inconsistencies and questionable decision-making when it comes to either mental lapses or winning rounds outright. And even though Allen has steadily improved his skills during his UFC tenure, he still lacks the phase-changing connectivity to it that I suspect is causing his lack of consistency and functionality.
Whereas de Ridder, who offers a ton of technical holes to pick apart on the feet given his janky, scarecrow-looking striking, has a much more cohesive function in the cage, considering that he understands what he wants and how he can get it. De Ridder doesn’t have the classic southpaw cross-hook counters that have traditionally troubled Allen in this stance pairing, but the Dutchman has proven to be dogged about getting to his win conditions.
I fully expect Allen to have a great start in this fight, but between my theories on his game and the short-notice nature of this contest, I can’t trust him to keep a lead for long if he fails to find a finish early.
The official pick is for de Ridder to survive some early scares en route to a submission win in Round 3.
Prediction: De Ridder inside the distance
Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen start time, how to watch
As the main event, de Ridder and Allen are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on ESPN+.
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