Reinier de Ridder rips training at former gym after move to ATT

Former ONE Championship two-division champion Reinier de Ridder has parted ways with Kill Cliff FC and joined American Top Team ahead of his UFC light heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze on August 22 in Sacramento.

De Ridder cited declining training quality at Kill Cliff over the past six months as the primary reason for the split. While he appreciated the gym's atmosphere, he explained that key personnel changes disrupted the environment. Head coach Henri Hooft was absent due to personal reasons, and Aung La N Sang—a favored training partner—opened his own facility, reducing his presence at Kill Cliff. As a result, several top fighters departed, and the overall level of instruction suffered.

"Some stuff was just not good at Kill Cliff the last six months," de Ridder told Full Mount MMA. "It was time to make a change, unfortunately. Cause I really liked them, really liked the atmosphere, liked everything there."

At American Top Team, de Ridder gains access to high-level coaches and elite training partners—resources he felt were necessary for his move to 205 pounds. The Dutchman enters the fight coming off consecutive losses to Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho at middleweight after an impressive 4-0 UFC start that included victories over top contenders Bo Nickal and Robert Whittaker. Now 21-4 overall, he hopes the fresh camp and heavier weight class will reignite his winning momentum.