Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is scheduled for a significant clash against Reinier de Ridder in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. The highly anticipated Fight Night card is confirmed to take place on July 26 at the Etihad Arena.
Whittaker, known as “The Reaper,” aims to bounce back following a first-round submission defeat to Khamzat Chimaev in October. Prior to that, he delivered a spectacular first-round knockout victory over Ikram Aliskerov in June. Ranked No. 7 in the middleweight division, Whittaker has secured three wins in his last five octagon appearances.
Reinier de Ridder has maintained a very active schedule since joining the UFC roster and has been highly successful. The former ONE two-division champion holds a perfect 3-0 record within the organization, with notable wins over Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland, and most recently, a dominant performance against Bo Nickal earlier this month. Ranked No. 13 at 185 pounds, de Ridder is stepping into his first UFC main event headlining spot, extending a four-fight winning streak across all promotions.
According to UFC announcements, the preliminary fights for UFC Abu Dhabi are slated to begin at Noon ET, followed by the main card broadcast starting at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
