Reinier de Ridder stops Roman Dolidze at UFC Fight Night Sacramento

Reinier de Ridder began his UFC light heavyweight career with a first-round TKO of Roman Dolidze at UFC Fight Night in Sacramento. The referee ended the contest at 4:01 of the opening round at Golden 1 Center.

Dolidze opened by attacking de Ridder’s leg with kicks before attempting to secure a kneebar. De Ridder survived the submission threat and used his position to land strikes from above as the Georgian continued to pursue attacks on the leg.

The Dutch fighter eventually moved into mount and kept Dolidze under control while striking to the head. Dolidze could not escape the sustained punishment, leading to the stoppage and de Ridder’s first UFC victory at 205 pounds.

The result gives the 36-year-old from Tilburg a response after two consecutive middleweight defeats. De Ridder had won his first four UFC fights after joining the organisation in 2024, but then lost to Brendan Allen at UFC Fight Night Vancouver in October 2025 and Caio Borralho at UFC 326 in March 2026.

De Ridder entered the light heavyweight division seeking a change in direction. His record is now 22-4, while Dolidze fell to 15-6 after returning to the division following more than two years competing at middleweight. The 38-year-old Georgian had also arrived after consecutive losses at middleweight.

The finish earned de Ridder a $25,000 bonus and ended a difficult stretch with a decisive victory in his new weight class. UFC Fight Night Hernandez vs. Rodrigues, also known as UFC Fight Night 285, was held in Sacramento, with six main-card bouts and eight preliminary contests broadcast on Paramount+.