Reinier de Ridder Accuses Sean Strickland of Body Shot Technique "Theft": “You’re Welcome.”

UFC fighter Reinier de Ridder playfully suggested that Sean Strickland might have "stolen" one of his signature techniques. De Ridder is set to compete at UFC 326, a major event scheduled for March 7, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card features a headline bout between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira for the BMF title. In the co-main middleweight event, de Ridder will face Caio Borralho, a fight anticipated to involve intense grappling and body knee exchanges.

Reinier de Ridder Jokingly Claims Sean Strickland Adopted His Body Shot Tactics

UFC 326 is designed as a highlight event, featuring Max Holloway, who earned the BMF belt by knocking out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and successfully defended it against Dustin Poirier. Charles Oliveira, a former lightweight champion, remains a top contender. Below the main event, de Ridder and Borralho's high-stakes middleweight contest pits two formidable finishers against each other; Borralho boasts 17 wins, including five by knockout and four by submission.

While de Ridder is renowned for his submission prowess and dominant grappling, he has also become known for his effective use of knees to the body. This particular technique became a talking point following Sean Strickland's recent victory against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. In that fight, Strickland used a powerful knee to Hernandez's midsection in the third round, effectively breaking his opponent's resolve and leading to a TKO finish as Hernandez crumpled and Strickland followed up with punches.

Observing Strickland's performance, de Ridder playfully suggested that Strickland might have adopted his strategy. During an interview, the Dutch fighter humorously took partial credit for the tactic, noting Hernandez's known vulnerability to body shots and implying Strickland may have learned from him.

“Indeed, that was certainly the approach. Hernandez is frequently vulnerable to body shots. So, Sean, you're welcome for borrowing my techniques.”

Following his jibe, de Ridder impartially analyzed the fight, acknowledging Strickland's strengths in both striking and wrestling.

“I genuinely enjoyed the fight; I thought Sean performed exceptionally well. In striking, Sean's jab is incredibly fast, and he primarily uses straight punches. Fluffy, on the other hand, throws more round shots. I had anticipated Sean would be quicker, but I was particularly surprised by his impressive takedown defense. It was incredibly difficult for Fluffy to close the distance against Sean. I believe Fluffy attempted only one or two shots and didn't fully commit to a double leg. That was unexpected. The knee that led to the finish was beautiful – truly remarkable. It seemed like Fluffy never truly found his rhythm.”

De Ridder enters UFC 326 after a loss to Brendan Allen, which highlighted some defensive vulnerabilities in prolonged fights. However, his high submission rate and knack for capitalizing on opponents' errors still position him as a formidable challenge in the division. Borralho presents a versatile threat, being a well-rounded middleweight with a track record of performance bonuses and a strong finishing instinct. With this exciting middleweight clash featured on the same card as the Holloway-Oliveira 2 BMF title fight, de Ridder's playful remarks about body knees serve as a subtle warning to any future opponents at UFC 326.