UFC Fight Night: de Ridder vs. Allen hits Rogers Arena, Vancouver on Sat, Oct 18. Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. BRT) and Main Card 7:00 p.m. ET (8:00 p.m. BRT) on ESPN+. The headliners both made weight at 186 lbs for a non-title middleweight main event. ESPN.com+1
How to watch
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United States: ESPN+ — Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET, Main Card 7:00 p.m. ET. ESPN.com
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Brazil & elsewhere: check local listings (Fight Pass/partners) on event day; bout order can shuffle after ceremonial weigh-ins. MMA Fighting
The final three — what to watch
1) Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen — Middleweight (5 rounds)
Storyline: High-leverage clash between submission-hungry grapplers. De Ridder steps in as one of the division’s hottest hands in 2025; Allen took this spot after a strong summer rebound. ESPN.com
Tactical keys:
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de Ridder: clean level changes, top pressure, and strangle threats off transitions.
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Allen: chain wrestling, mat returns, and guillotine/front-headlock when shots come long.
Telltale: if the fight lives on the fence/mat, RDR’s control stacks minutes; if Allen stuffs first layers and threatens the neck, pace flips.
2) Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott — Welterweight
Storyline: Unpredictability vs. local momentum. Both made weight; both can end it early with long counters or opportunistic grappling. MMA Fighting
3) Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi — Bantamweight
Storyline: Durable late-surger (Vera) vs. timing-first technician (Zahabi). Expect range games early and Vera trying to build down the stretch. (Feature bout per official listings.) MMA Fighting
Official fight card
Main Card — 7:00 p.m. ET (8:00 p.m. BRT) — ESPN+
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Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen — Middleweight (Main Event)
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Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott — Welterweight
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Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi — Bantamweight
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Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius — Women’s Flyweight
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Cody Gibson vs. Aoriqileng — Bantamweight
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Kyle Nelson vs. Matt Frevola — Lightweight MMA Fighting+1
Prelims — 4:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. BRT) — ESPN+
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Charles Jourdain vs. Davey Grant — Featherweight
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Bruno Silva vs. HyunSung Park — Flyweight
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Danny Barlow vs. Djorden Santos — Welterweight
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Kyle Prepolec vs. Drew Dober — Lightweight
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Stephanie Luciano vs. Ravena Oliveira — Women’s Strawweight
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Azamat Bekoev vs. Yousri Belgaroui — Middleweight
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Melissa Croden vs. Tainara Lisboa — Women’s Bantamweight MMA Fighting
Venue & timing source: Rogers Arena, Vancouver; Prelims 4 p.m. ET / Main 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. ESPN.com
Canada watch
A strong Canadian slate at home: Malott, Jasudavicius, Nelson, Jourdain, Prepolec, Croden, among others — crowd energy tends to spike when locals hit the cage. MMA Fighting
Why this main event matters at 185
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Traffic toward a title eliminator: de Ridder vs. Allen arrives with real ranking stakes; winner positions himself for a top-5 conversation at middleweight. (Context from week-of analysis and weigh-in coverage.) ESPN.com+1
First-90-seconds checklist (de Ridder vs. Allen)
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First takedown layer: sprawl + neck threat can stall chains.
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Center control: if Allen establishes jab/teep, RDR must shoot longer.
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Fence transitions: underhooks and hip turns = deny “banked minutes.”
Quick FAQ
Exact Brazil times?
Reference conversion: Prelims 5:00 p.m. BRT, Main 8:00 p.m. BRT (from ET timetable). ESPN.com
Did everyone make weight?
All listed main-card names hit their marks at official weigh-ins, including de Ridder (186) and Allen (186); co-main welterweights also on point. MMA Fighting
Can bout order change after face-offs?
Yes—always re-check after ceremonial weigh-ins. MMA Fighting
UFC Vancouver blends a grappling-centric main event with crowd-pleasing co-features and a deep Canadian undercard. If de Ridder vs. Allen delivers the scramble chains it promises, we’ll wake up Sunday talking title implications at 185. Set your reminders, scan this card, and enjoy fight night. ESPN.com
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Comment: who wins the chess—RDR’s top-pressure routes or Allen’s chain-wrestling + guillotine threats?
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