Cheima Moufdil
Reinier de Ridder preserved his perfect UFC record with a hard-fought split-decision victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. Judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47 for de Ridder, with one dissenting card for Whittaker, moving the Dutch contender to 4-0 inside the octagon.
The fight was a grueling five-round battle marked by relentless pace and punishing exchanges. Whittaker dropped de Ridder with a huge overhand right in the third round, but de Ridder’s resilience, superior clinch work, and piercing knees to the body ultimately swayed the scorecards. His grappling control and pressure allowed him to outwork Whittaker, especially in the championship rounds.
“I don’t want to fight like this. This guy was too tough,” de Ridder admitted afterward. “Maybe Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dricus [du Plessis] next—give me a shot at that strap.”
Whittaker started aggressively, cutting de Ridder early and landing crisp combinations. However, de Ridder steadily found his rhythm, scoring timely takedowns and wearing down the former champion. Even after being knocked down, he recovered quickly and pressed the action with heavy knees and clinch control.
The loss marks Whittaker’s second consecutive defeat following a submission loss to Chimaev. “Pretty hurt to be honest,” he said post-fight. “He did what he said he was going to do. The pressure was a lot. Good on him.”
With middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis set to defend his title against Chimaev at UFC 319, de Ridder now positions himself as a leading contender. He awaits the results of that clash, as well as the upcoming Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho fight in Paris, to determine the next title challenger.