"Just on all levels, my bloodwork and everything was in the trash. Everything was bad. But mostly standing out, severe anemia, very very low red blood cell count. Just worked my body to sh*t basically."
"At least I knew what was wrong with me at that point, was very happy with that. I had something to work from. But it took a long time to fight my body back, to get everything started, to get the right treatment, and find everything out. That wasn't easy."
"For a couple weeks, RDR couldn't complete a training session, or walk up the stairs without being tired. So there was a little while there where I was thinking 'I might never fix this stuff, it might be over.'"
Reinier de Ridder's five-fight win streak ended at UFC Vancouver against short-notice opponent Brendan Allen, raising concerns about his health and performance. Testing revealed severe anemia and critically low red blood cell count, causing early fatigue during the fight. De Ridder spent weeks unable to complete training sessions or climb stairs without exhaustion, fearing his career might be over. After receiving proper treatment and recovery, he has regained his health. De Ridder returns to competition at UFC 326 against Caio Borralho, another middleweight contender recovering from a recent loss. The middleweight division faces uncertainty with several fighters potentially moving up in weight, creating multiple opportunities for de Ridder.
Read at Cageside Press
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