Robert Whittaker is still licking his emotional wounds after the loss to Khamzat Chimaev last October. A great way to put it behind him would be to get a win over Reinier de Ridder in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event. But the Dutchman is someone who mustn’t be underestimated.
Bookies underestimated him last May against Bo Nickal, but we didn’t. He was our pick, and he didn’t disappoint us – he won at +235 odds. Fast-forward to July 2025, and he’s seen as an underdog once again. This time, his odds are +139. Should you back him? Let’s find out.
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Robert Whittaker | -159 |
| Reinier de Ridder | +139 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ABC
Should Robert Whittaker be the Betting Favorite?
Robert Whittaker is 26-8, with practically all of his losses happening against champions, those who’d become champions, or those who were champions in the past.
For example, he lost twice to Israel Adesanya, both times in the fight for the UFC Middleweight title. He also lost to Dricus du Plessis, who later went on to become the champ. And in his most recent bout, he lost to Khamzat Chimaev, who will fight du Plessis for the title later this summer.
The loss to Khamzat hurt Whittaker both physically and emotionally. The Chechen fighter beat him by a face crank submission, breaking his jaw in the process. Whether Khamzat’s left arm is so powerful that it could shatter an MMA fighter’s jaw or was an underlying jaw injury already there remains a question.
Either way, we suspect that Bobby’s jaw is now his Achilles’ heel. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether RDR can take advantage of it.
Reinier de Ridder Ready for Another Upset Win
Reinier de Ridder is 20-2 overall in his professional MMA career, with most of those fights happening in ONE Championship. Since moving to the UFC, this guy is 3-0, with wins over Gerald Meerschaert (submission), Kevin Holland (submission), and most recently, Bo Nickal (TKO).
The win over Bo Nickal came as a big shock to most UFC fans. Not us, though. We knew how dangerous RDR was. This guy’s one of the best grapplers in the division, and he lands an insane number of takedowns in practically every fight.
He didn’t land any against Nickal because he didn’t need to – he beat him up with powerful strikes instead. The TKO win showed that he’s got great striking as well, which makes him a complete fighter.
Not only is he fantastic from a technical point of view, but he’s also pretty tall for a middleweight. He stands at 6’4 with a 78’’ reach – he’s four inches taller than Whittaker and has a five-inch reach advantage.
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder Prediction
We think it’s very likely RDR will pull off another upset. Chimaev showed him the path to beating Bobby Knuckles, and we think he’ll take that road.
Pick: Reiner de Ridder