Robert Whittaker faced Reinier de Ridder in a highly anticipated middleweight bout at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Saturday night. The five-round fight showcased both fighters’ skills, but ultimately ended in a split decision victory for de Ridder. This loss is not only Whittaker’s second in a row but his third in his last five trips to the Octagon.
From the outset, both fighters exhibited cautious yet strategic movements, with little to separate them during the first two rounds. Whittaker, looking to show he was in charge, sought an early finish and landed blows with bone-crushing ferocity, revealing the full extent of his striking arsenal. De Ridder more than matched his intensity and resilience.
The contest took a furiously high stakes dive in round three. Whittaker landed a perfect counter right hand that dropped Leen de Ridder in the first round. This moment enlivened the crowd, as it appeared that Whittaker was about to act on his opportunity. The way de Ridder recovered from being dropped is a testament to his will. He survived the killer punch and soon regrouped with a vengeance as action resumed.
While Whittaker’s beautiful performance showed that he is still focused as ever and tough as nails, he could not overcome a near-nail-it-himself opponent. With this loss, Whittaker has now dropped two fights in a row, putting into question what’s next for him in the division.
“I want to finish a guy in the first round, so maybe it would be better if I fought Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dricus [Du Plessis]. Give me my title shot.” – Robert Whittaker
In the evening’s co-main event, former UFC champion Petr Yan made his return to striking with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Marcus McGhee. Yan bested his opponent in total strikes, significant strikes, control time, and takedowns for the entire fight. His performance earned him the respect of his peers and established his position as a true killer in his weight class.
Shara Magomedov made headlines by bouncing back from his first professional loss, securing a unanimous decision victory over Marc-Andre Barriault. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Magomedov, giving the fighter a triumphant return.
As for de Ridder, he had nothing but praise for Whittaker’s grit after their battle.
“I don’t want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough, so durable. Heavy f***** hands.” – Reinier de Ridder
