Prominent MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz has publicly criticized Matt Hume, the Senior Vice President of Competition at ONE Championship, over his handling of Reinier de Ridder during de Ridder’s tenure as a two-division champion in the organization.
Ali Abdelaziz Slams ONE Championship’s Matt Hume
Ali Abdelaziz accused Hume of nearly ruining de Ridder’s career, alleging that Hume’s management practices within ONE Championship were detrimental to fighters. Abdelaziz described Hume as someone who “ruined so many people’s careers,” alleging blackballing and unfair treatment, and stated that de Ridder was in a “very bad situation” during his time with the promotion. Speaking with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Abdelaziz explained:
“Honestly, [Reinier de Ridder] has become one of my favorite people. He’s just such a nice, humble, nice man, and a good family guy. He was in a very bad situation with ONE FC and a very ugly situation. One day, I’ll talk about it, you know. “
Matt Hume has been a key executive at ONE Championship since 2012, overseeing the competitive and regulatory aspects of the organization. He was initially appointed as the head official when ONE Championship was founded in 2011 and quickly moved into an executive leadership position, shaping the organization’s rules and matchmaking. Ali Abdelaziz continued:
“Matt Hume, biggest scumbag in the history of MMA. I can tell you this, 100%. And I’ll keep it at that. I have all the proof. He’s a very bad guy, and he almost ruined this guy’s life.But also, when you-when nobody has a plan, God always has a plan. And Matt Hume was the devil, you know? That’s all I’m going to tell you. I don’t know how this guy ever did martial arts.
“He’s one of the biggest scumbags I’ve ever seen on the planet. I think ONE FC will be a much better place without this guy. He ruined so many people’s careers. He blackballed people. He cheats. He does everything wrong. And, you know, he almost ruined this [Reinier de Ridder’s] career. Really did.
“I’m not directing this to a whole promotion. I’m directing this to an individual, just to be clear. Him and his staff-they’re just terrible people.”
Reinier de Ridder, who previously held titles in two divisions at ONE Championship, has since left the organization and joined the UFC. Since his UFC debut late last year, de Ridder has compiled three straight finishes, most recently defeating Bo Nickal at UFC on ESPN 67, a victory that elevated him to No. 13 in the UFC middleweight rankings. De Ridder’s rapid rise in the UFC has been attributed by some to Ali Abdelaziz’s management, with fans noting that de Ridder has received high-visibility fights and has quickly established himself as a contender in the division.
When Reinier de Ridder was a two-division undefeated champion in ONE, the Dutch grappler often complained that he was not getting enough matches. While de Ridder was a dominant champion in ONE, his move to the UFC has been marked by increased activity and high-profile matchups, which some observers credit to Ali Abdelaziz’s influence and the UFC’s promotional structure.
