UFC Fighter Brendan Allen Claims Opponent Reinier de Ridder Quit at UFC Vancouver

Brendan Allen secured a short-notice upset victory over Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver when de Ridder failed to answer the bell for the fifth round, with Allen asserting that de Ridder himself decided to quit rather than his corner. Despite the controversial ending, de Ridder's coach, Harun Ozkan, claimed full responsibility for stopping the fight to protect the fighter, countering accusations of quitting. This loss marked de Ridder's first in the UFC and followed a pattern similar to his previous defeats where exhaustion led to him not continuing the match. Allen expressed interest in future fights against top contenders like Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev, but acknowledged that matchmaking decisions are beyond his control. Analysts have pointed to de Ridder's high fight frequency possibly contributing to his diminished performance, suggesting that his activity level may have taken a toll. The UFC community remains divided over the nature of de Ridder's loss, with some viewing it as a quitting incident while others emphasize fighter safety and coaching decisions.