Newly crowned UFC middleweight champion Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) went after de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) on Tuesday with posts on X directed at the contender, just days after beating Dricus Du Plessis in an all-time dominant title fight at UFC 319.

UFC is bringing an exciting main event north of the border. Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez headlines UFC Fight Night in Vancouver on Oct. 18, the promotion announced on Tuesday. De Ridder vs. Hernandez pits two middleweights rocketing up the division.

Reinier de Ridder recently called for a middleweight title shot against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 321. de Ridder has been on an impressive run

Reinier de Ridder recently reacted to Khamzat Chimaev vowing to make him look like a "white belt" in a potential fight.

Whittaker, who was quickly submitted by Chimaev at UFC 308, went on to lose his second-straight fight to Reinier de Ridder (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) last month in the UFC on ABC 9 headliner. De Ridder was able to survive a Round 3 knockdown to outlast Whittaker.

The main event of UFC Vancouver in October will pit Reinier de Ridder against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, potentially offering a clue to Khamzat Chimaev ’s first challenger for the middleweight title.

Reinier de Ridder picked up the biggest win of his career on Saturday when he took a hard-fought split decision over former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Fight Night from Abu Dhabi.