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The UFC Abu Dhabi Main Card on Saturday has finally reached its apex as we're set to bring you a betting prediction and pick for this Main Event bout in the Middleweight (185) Division. Former champion and No. 5 Robert Whittaker will take on the quickly rising No. 12 Reinier de Ridder of Holland. Check out the UFC odds for our Whittaker-de Ridder prediction and pick.
Robert Whittaker (26-8) has gone 17-6 since 2012 en route to becoming a former UFC Champion. After beating Paulo Costa and earning a performance bonus against Ikram Aliskerov, he'll hope to bounce back following his tough loss to Khamzat Chimaev as he continues the chase for another belt. Whittaker stands 6 feet tall with a 73.5-inch reach.
Reinier de Ridder (20-2) is currently 3-0 inside the UFC since debuting in 2024. A former champion at ONE Championship, he's made a seamless transition to the UFC with two submissions and a TKO performance bonus win in his first action. He'll look for another big performance following his last upset win. De Ridder stands 6-foot-4 with a 78-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Abu Dhabi Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Abu Dhabi odds: Robert Whittaker-Reinier de Ridder odds
Robert Whittaker: -166
Reinier de Ridder: +140
Over 2.5 rounds: -125
Under 2.5 rounds: -105
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Why Robert Whittaker will win
- Last Fight: (L) Khamzat Chimaev – SUB (face crank, R1)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 10 KO/TKO, 5 SUB
Robert Whittaker comes into this fight following arguably the most brutal loss of his career after Khamzat Chimaev snapped his teeth in several places following a strong face crank.
It's pretty amazing to see a longtime Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt like Whittaker get handled so easily on the ground, so it'll be interesting to see how his confidence bodes against another dangerous grappler like de Ridder.
Whittaker is still one of the most skilled fighters on the UFC roster, and if he's able to turn back the clock like he did against Aliskerov, he could find a similar ending in stopping a highly touted prospect much too soon. His kickboxing will have to be on point in order to bridge the size gap, but Whittaker has handled much more skilled opponents in the past.
At 34 years old, Robert Whittaker is still in his athletic prime despite his long career inside the cage. His chin has been cracked (and snapped) in the past, but he remains one of the toughest fighters we've ever seen. Look for Whittaker to give de Ridder a true test in his first fight against a real contender.
Why Reinier de Ridder will win
- Last Fight: (W) Bo Nickal – TKO (knee to body, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 4 KO/TKO, 14 SUB
Reinier de Ridder last shocked the MMA world with his relatively easy finish against highly touted prospect Bo Nickal.
Billed at the +300 underdog, de Ridder was the first true test in Nickal's career, and although he's known for his grappling skills, de Ridder managed to end the fight with a series of body shots to fold his opponent. Thanks to the quick rise, he's propelling up the rankings and has a chance to get much closer to a potential title shot.
De Ridder is known for his jiu jitsu grappling, and with 14 wins by submission, he'll be a dangerous force to stop on the ground. While Robert Whittaker is equally capable on the ground, it'll be interesting to see if de Ridder presses the action on the mat given Whittaker lost his previous fight that way against Chimaev.
Either way, de Ridder doesn't have much evolving to do as a complete mixed martial artist given his experience at ONE Championship. Still, this is the UFC, and we've seen a number of hyped prospects get their hype train stopped abruptly over the last few months.
Final Robert Whittaker-Reinier de Ridder prediction & pick
This is an extremely high-level Main Event between two of the best grapplers on the roster. Robert Whittaker is hoping to prove himself once again following a bad loss, while Reinier de Ridder is looking to continue riding his wave of momentum and make a big leap in the rankings.
It will be interesting to see how Robert Whittaker handles the length of de Ridder when tying up with him, but we could give the slight striking advantage to Whittaker thanks to his fast hands and quick movement. If they end up clinching along the fence, de Ridder could stand to take Whittaker down thanks to his leverage and length.
Nevertheless, I think people are counting out Robert Whittaker following his last loss, and we've seen him perform in this spot previously. While de Ridder is a worthy challenger, I think Robert Whittaker will have all the answers as he eventually unleashes a barrage of punches to end the fight.
Final Robert Whittaker-Reinier de Ridder Prediction & Pick: Robert Whittaker (-166)
