It was a night of celebration for Reinier de Ridder after what can only be described as one of the most important fights in his career so far. The Dutch mixed martial artist narrowly defeated former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in a razor-close split decision on Saturday, July 26, in the headline fight of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi.
Held at the buzzing Etihad Arena on Yas Island, the bout had the crowd on edge from the opening bell. Over five explosive rounds, De Ridder and Whittaker went back and forth, trading takedowns, clinch battles, spilling blood and keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
It was a classic striker-versus-grappler matchup: Whittaker’s speed and footwork met with de Ridder’s imposing grappling and control. While Whittaker found success on the feet, de Ridder managed to neutralise much of it with his ground game, repeatedly pushing the pace and forcing clinch engagements.
When the final horn sounded, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards, and the decision was split. Two judges saw it for de Ridder, with one awarding the fight to Whittaker. The result sparked debate online, but de Ridder walked away with his hand raised, and a defining win on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
“I don’t want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough,” de Ridder said in a post-fight interview. “I expected to take him down. He was so tough, so durable.”
The Dutch fighter had to survive a brutal knockdown in round three when Whittaker dropped him with a right hand to the chin in the opening minute.
The fight capped off an action-packed night in the capital, cementing UFC Abu Dhabi as one of the most exciting dates on the global MMA calendar. Fans from across the Emirates – and beyond – turned up to witness the action, with big performances throughout the card.
With the win, de Ridder instantly becomes a top contender in the UFC’s middleweight division and with Abu Dhabi playing host to more frequent fight nights, fans can expect to see more high-stakes showdowns like this one in the near future.
In the co-main event, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision. Yan outpaced his opponent in total strikes, significant strikes, control and takedowns.
Ahead of his fight with Whittaker, What’s On spoke to de Ridder in an exclusive interview, read it here.
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