Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker knows he’s in for a tough test this weekend.
Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) is set to face surging contender Reinier de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the main event at UFC on ABC 9, taking place this Saturday night at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Whittaker — who held the UFC middleweight title from 2017 to 2019 — will be looking to bounce back after suffering a devastating submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at the same venue during UFC 308 last October.
He’ll have his hands full against “RDR,” who has enjoyed a sensational start to his UFC career. The former ONE Championship two-division titleholder has recorded three straight stoppage wins since making his UFC debut in late 2024. After submitting Gerald Meerschaert in his promotional debut last November, the Dutchman made a quick turnaround and earned another submission win over Kevin Holland at UFC 311 in January.
He followed that up with a stunning upset at UFC Des Moines in May, stopping previously unbeaten prospect Bo Nickal with brutal knees to the body — proving he’s a threat both on the feet and on the ground.
“Yeah, it was so impressive that I've just been working diligently for the last 14 weeks to prepare for him,” Whittaker said this week during an exclusive interview with Fighters Only. “He's a tough guy. He's fought in big fights, you know? He's a vet like I am. He's well-rounded, he’s been around a lot. So, look, it's going to be a hard fight on Saturday. I know this. But that doesn't dissuade me.”
Whittaker still has his sights set on reentering the title conversation at 185 pounds. He recently spoke about his hopes of making one final run at the belt before calling time on his career — but he knows a tough challenge awaits him in de Ridder this weekend.
Having faced — and defeated — some of the biggest names in the division over the past thirteen years, “The Reaper” remains confident he has what it takes to rise to the occasion once again.
“I think he just outworked Bo,” Whittaker said of de Ridder’s win over Bo Nickal in May. “Bo couldn't get any of his game off. Like I said, you know, the question is, Reinier is really good at a particular way of fighting, and if you let him do that, if you let him just kind of dictate where the fight's going and what's happening, you're in for a long night.”
