Abu Dhabi is a special place, Reinier de Ridder says after win

Abu Dhabi: Reinier de Ridder preserved his perfect UFC record on Saturday night, capping off a thrilling evening of MMA action at UFC Fight Night at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on Sunday.

The tense five-round main event saw undefeated contender de Ridder edge out former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker via split decision in a bout that could have major implications for the division’s title picture.

Reflecting on his fourth consecutive UFC win, the Dutch said: “Last year, I was here in Abu Dhabi, basically starting my UFC journey. This fourth fight in was a very hard fight, and I had to dig deep to get the win. Whittaker is such a tough guy, so hard to put away. I hit him with crazy shots, but for some reason, he just kept coming. He was very defensively sound on the floor, his takedown defence was on point, and I think I’ve fought the best version of Whittaker I’ve seen in years. But I was able to win the fight, and I’m proud of that.”

He added: “I love Abu Dhabi and the people. They always come back to support me. Abu Dhabi is a special place to me, and I hope to be back soon.”

In the co-main event, former bantamweight champion Petr Yan delivered a composed performance to secure a unanimous decision victory over Marcus McGhee.

“I’m glad that I won,” said Yan post-fight. “My opponent was very tough and unorthodox. I’m happy with how the fight turned out, and I believe I deserve to fight for the belt next. I’m going to wait for the news from the UFC.”

Earlier in the night, fan-favourite Shara Magomedov thrilled the crowd with a unanimous decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault in a wild three-round war that earned Fight of the Night honours.

The success of UFC Fight Night — drawing fans from around the world — further reinforced Abu Dhabi’s status as a global MMA hub.

UFC will return to the UAE capital in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) for the blockbuster UFC 321, scheduled for October 25 at Etihad Arena. The event will feature a much-anticipated showdown between UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and top contender Ciryl Gane.