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Reinier de Ridder Edges Past Robert Whittaker

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 7:33 PM ET

Reinier de Ridder defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi, as you can see how the fight played out.

De Ridder, the former ONE Championship titleholder, entered the fight with a 3-0 record in the UFC. He also had an impressive record of 13 submissions in 20 career wins. His grappling game made him a serious threat, but Whittaker is a seasoned veteran. Meanwhile, Whittaker entered the bout looking to bounce back after a tough setback.

In his last outing, he suffered a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev, a fight that also left him with a broken jaw. The defeat had derailed his path to a potential title shot against reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, as the latest loss is another blow. Here is how the fight played out.

Updates

Robert Whittaker vs Reinier de Ridder Round 1: RDR immediately shoots for a single-leg takedown but can't finish. They're tangled up in the center of the cage ‍♂️. Whittaker escapes, lands a lightning-fast combo, and sneaks a right hand past the guard . RDR shoots again but…
— BoxingNews.com (@BoxingNews) July 26, 2025

Insane that RDR survived that pic.twitter.com/uDk3HAtGOM
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) July 26, 2025

Robert Whittaker vs Reinier de Ridder Round 4: RDR lands another crushing knee to Whittaker's midsection . They tie up, and RDR forces the action against the fence . Whittaker looks utterly gassed . They break and RDR pushes Whittaker back to the fence again . Another…
— BoxingNews.com (@BoxingNews) July 26, 2025

RESULT: Reinier de Ridder def. Robert Whittaker via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) ! What a fight! Close battle all the way through. https://t.co/7jhEU3OLYl
— BoxingNews.com (@BoxingNews) July 26, 2025

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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