A big-time Middleweight bout has made its way onto the UFC 311 main card.
The 32-year-old Kevin Holland will be facing the 34-year-old Reinier de Ridder when the Ultimate Fighting Championship rolls into the Intuit Dome on Saturday, January 18. Although many of the best UFC betting apps have one of these fighters listed as a clear favorite, experts and fans alike seem split on the potential outcome. Can we provide any clarity on who might win? We’re about to find out.
- What: UFC 311
- When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
- Start Time: 7 p.m. EST (preliminary bouts), 10 p.m. EST (main card)
- Where: Inglewood, California
- Venue: Intuit Dome
- Where to Watch: ESPN 2 (preliminary rounds), Pay Per View (main card fights)
- Main Event: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Ridder enters UFC 311 with a lifetime 18-2-0 record. With that said, while his MMA resume spans 20 fights, he is only one matchup into his contract with UFC. He debuted for The Company late last year, during a November 2024 Fight Night. His first-ever opponent, Gerald Meerschaert, ended up submitting in the third round.
Holland, of course, has a much more extensive resume. He brings an overall record of 26-12-0 to UFC 311. However, The Company veteran has recently entered a rough patch. Holland lost his last fight, at UFC 307, to Roman Dolidze by KO/TKO. And he has not dropped three of his past four matches.
UFC 311 Light Heavyweight Showdown: Kevin Holland vs Reinier de Ridder Betting Lines
Whenever relative newbies face off against more experienced fighters, most of the online UFC betting odds tend to favor the latter. As you can see below the Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder betting lines are no exception:
Please remember to double-check these UFC 311 betting odds until you actually place all of your wagers. Our UFC 311 betting lines are accurate entering Friday, January 10. This gives the best online UFC betting sites plenty of time to make adjustments prior to the fighters stepping foot inside the octagon.
Unlike some of the other matchups in store at the Intuit Dome, we wouldn’t worry too much about seeing changes to Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland betting lines. Indeed, there will be some movement. Especially the Friday before the fight, as well as the night of their showdown.
Practically speaking, though, the best sports betting sites in the United States do not have enough information on Ridder to co-sign major changes. And while Holland’s recent downswing could play a factor into last-minute betting trends, the public in the U.S. isn’t any more familiar with Ridder than the sites on which they’re wagering.
The Case for Kevin Holland to Beat Reinier de Ridder
Many are noticing a decline in Holland’s quickness and wrestling ability. The latter of which, mind you, has rarely been considered a strong suit for him.
Still, Holland profiles as a dangerous enough striker for the Middleweight division. He is landing 4.24 significant strikes per minute at an above-average clip.
Defensive stances are the larger issue for him. He can leave himself too open to potential knockout combos. That is definitely something he must be cognizant of against the powerful Ridder. But we have seen him shut off the striking wells for many others in the past, even in losses.
What’s more, Holland has top-tier dancer’s feet inside the octagon. He is incredibly active—constantly on the move. That can frustrate and ultimately derail fighters who are not especially quick themselves. And Ridder, while sporting admirable power, falls into that category.
The Case for Reinier de Ridder to Beat Kevin Holland
Concern is being expressed for Ridder’s ability to utilize his takedown approach versus Holland. And many of the critiques are fair. Though Ridder took down Meerschaert five times to zero in his UFC debut, those completions are often predicated on getting his opponents back up against the cage. He is not someone who will be able to use single or double sweeps in the open mat, at least not in high volume or with enviable accuracy.
And yet, if we are being honest, open-mat takedowns don’t seem nearly as prevalent in today’s UFC. Beyond that, even with Holland having a three inch edge in the reach department, Ridder has the size, power and knowledge of angles to box him up against the cage.
Moreover, Holland at large is not the most effective defensive fighter. Opponents land 50 percent of their strike attempts against him, as well as 46 percent of their takedown attempts. Both of those are poor marks (for Holland) relative to the UFC average.
UFC 311 Picks for Ridder vs Holland
Don’t mind us. We are just going to pick another UFC 311 upset by predicting that Ridder beats Holland.
After much consideration, too many red flags are tied to Holland’s most recent performances. Supporters seem to be overestimating his power, especially against someone like Ridder, who likely carries more muscle mass.
Truth be told, if Ridder had another two or even just one UFC fight under his belt, our guess would be that he checks in not only as the favorite, but a heavier favorite. So long as he does not shy from attacking Holland when the latter starts moving his feet and roaming the octagon, this actually profiles as a matchup Ridder can win without needing to take it to a decision.
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