Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight veterans Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder will clash TONIGHT (Sat., July 26, 2025) at UFC Abu Dhabi inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
At 34 years of age, Whittaker has been on the hunt for one final run at gold for years now. He was closing in on a Dricus Du Plessis rematch last year until running afoul of Khamzat Chimaev, getting stopped — and his teeth turned to dust — in just a few minutes (watch highlights). Prior to that, however, Whittaker was in good form, beating up Paulo Costa and flattening Ikram Aliskerov.
de Ridder, meanwhile, set expectations fairly low in his Octagon debut, a back-and-forth grappling match versus Gerald Meerschaert. He’s since turned it up, however, quickly stopping both Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal to assert himself into the rankings and possibly the title picture outright.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Whittaker vs. de Ridder Betting Odds
- Robert Whittaker victory: -166
- Robert Whittaker via TKO/KO/DQ: +150
- Robert Whittaker via submission: +2000
- Robert Whittaker via decision: +300
- Reinier de Ridder victory: +140
- Reinier de Ridder via TKO/KO/DQ: +550
- Reinier de Ridder via submission: +300
- Reinier de Ridder via decision: +900
- Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
How Whittaker Wins
Whittaker is one of the best mixes of Karate and boxing in UFC history. Combining excellent in-and-out movement with sharp counter punches and pocket boxing, Whittaker has added offensive wrestling into his game in recent years to really keep his foes on their toes.
The dangers here are de Ridder’s size and relentlessness. He’s not a good enough wrestler on paper to floor Whittaker and implement his grappling, but he definitely could rock the Australian and gain top position that way. If Whittaker isn’t locked-in defensively, he could find himself in trouble quickly.
That doesn’t mean the answer is passivity or hesitance, however. On the contrary, to keep “RDR” off him, Whittaker has to keep his feet moving and being an evasive target while also still willing to plant his feet. Whittaker is the more fluid, powerful striker after all. He has the skills to be mobile while still presenting a serious threat to de Ridder, and that balance will be really important.
How de Ridder Wins
de Ridder is an expert grappler first and foremost. His high-profile victory over Nickal was a rare display of his clinch offense and general stand up, but he’s notable awkward and hittable on the feet. One way or another, he’s finished 18 opponents via stoppage.
Steamrolling Whittaker is not likely to be easy as beating up Nickal in the clinch. Whittaker is a bit craftier and should present more of a challenge in being tracked down. It’s a little odd to talk about the taller, longer fighter have to close distance on the shorter man, but that’s de Ridder’s realistic path to success.
To find Whittaker, de Ridder has to use his kicks to cut off the cage. If he can force Whittaker to stand in place to block a kick, that’s an opportunity to fire a one-two combination down the center. When Whittaker goes to return fire, de Ridder should be looking to get inside those punches with frames and use them to clinch — classic Muay Thai strategy.
Nobody is particularly fresh if their nose is bloodied, leg kicked, and liver softened by knees. “RDR” should be looking to wear down Whittaker, slow that speed a bit, and then drag his foe to the floor in pursuit of the submission.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Whittaker vs. de Ridder Prediction
I understand that momentum is important and, “you’re only as good as your last fight,” but Whittaker is the much better fighter here. I don’t feel that Whittaker is shot because he lost quickly to Khamzat, which could happen to anyone. Even as de Ridder has come into his own inside the Octagon, he still has obvious flaws that a veteran like Whittaker should be able to exploit.
The “RDR” bum-rush that worked so well in breaking down Nickal is less likely to be effective when he’s getting smashed by counter punches early and often. In fact, I expect de Ridder to be the man who gets progressively worse over time as Whittaker’s punches find their mark more and more often on that high chin.
Prediction: Whittaker via knockout
LIVE! Stream UFC Abu Dhabi On ESPN+
MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” this Sat. night (July 26, 2025) with UFC Abu Dhabi. That’s where former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, collides with red-hot submission specialist, Reinier de Ridder, in a fast-paced main event mashup scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. In UFC Abu Dhabi’s co-main event, former 135-pound titleholder, Petr Yan, locks horns with once-beaten bantamweight bruiser, Marcus McGhee, with a spot in the division title chase up for grabs.
Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Abu Dhabi fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ABC “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 3 p.m. ET (also on ESPN/ABC).
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