De Ridder open to Whittaker rematch but prefers different UFC debut opponent

Reinier De Ridder has stated he does not want an immediate rematch with Robert Whittaker for his UFC debut. The former ONE Championship titleholder indicated he would prefer to face a different opponent first before potentially rematching Whittaker at light heavyweight. De Ridder confirmed that his next fight is scheduled for the summer. He remains open to the possibility of a rematch with Whittaker down the line, but emphasized that now is not the right time for that particular fight. The post does not specify who De Ridder would prefer as his debut opponent.