The UFC is heading back to fight island tonight for an exciting fight card. A smooth weigh in has made all 12 bouts for UFC Abu Dhabi official & fans across the globe are ecstatic for the action.
The action packed card is headlined by an exciting match up in the middleweight division between Whittaker and De Ridder. The match up will feature a veteran of the promotion taking on a hungry prospect with title aspirations.
With the match up seemingly producing the #1 contender moving forward, the stakes are very high. Fight Day is almost upon us so lets jump right into the betting breakdown of Robert Whittaker vs Reinier De Ridder, live from Abu Dhabi, UAE!
All betting odds are presented by BetOnline.ag as of 7/25/2025 at 11 p.m.
Check out the odds for the entire card at the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
UFC Abu Dhabi Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs Reinier De Ridder Analysis, Best Bet, & Prediction
Massive Main Event For The Likely #1 Contender Spot In The Middleweight Division
The main event of UFC Abu Dhabi will certainly be an exciting match up. Robert Whittaker will make his return to the octagon to take on rising prospect Reinier De Ridder.
The 8 month lay off was not by choice as he has been recovering from a broken jaw suffered against Khamzat Chimaev. Now that he is all healed up, he looks to get back in the win column at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Whittaker has a accumulated a legendary resume in his time with the UFC. The former middleweight champion has remained a staple in the division for over 12 years.
He is known for his free flowing yet explosive boxing style, agile footwork, & his well rounded approach to each fight. Throughout his career he has added on to his strong grappling base, developing fantastic take down defense.
Proving his takedown defense against multiple grapplers over his career, he has a career 84% takedown defense percentage. Whittaker has historically found success against grapplers with his fighting style.
In his long career, Whittaker has been through countless wars and taken significant damage. Even at just 34 years old, it feels like us fight fans have been watching him fight forever.
The durability is a real concern of mine at this point in his career. Having 3 knock out losses in his career and seemingly being wobbled and hurt in most recent fights.
The dreaded retirement words have already began flowing out of his mouth as of recent. Coming off a loss to such a talented prospect in Chimaev, it is hard to tell if the “Reaper” has much left in the tank.
Rising Middleweight Prospect Reinier De Ridder
Will De Ridder Continue His Rise To The Top?
De Ridder is coming into this match up with Whittaker holding all the momentum. Riding the high of 3 straight UFC wins and all of them coming by finish.
The prospect has started to put the division on notice that he is a serious contender. With 1 more win, he has most certainly earned a title shot and will be catapulted square in the middle of the middleweight title picture.
Even before signing with the UFC, De ridder has shown his skills are elite throughout his career. A 2 division champion in the popular promotion ONE, earned him his UFC contract despite a loss in his last fight.
His game is centered around his massive frame for the division. He is often the bigger man in the match up and uses it to his advantage every chance he gets.
The striking aspect to his game is very versatile, yet some what sloppy in some aspects. His striking defense is a big hole, yet he finds a way to take the punches and inflict more damage on his opponents until they break.
De ridder has a phenomenal grappling skill set and uses it very well in all of his fights. He has proven to be a very dangerous submission threat if he can find the take down, with over 14 wins by submission in his career.
He is coming off a dominant performance over a top prospect Bo Nickal. His skillset seems to be rounding out and everything is clicking at the right time in his career.
I believe he has the higher ceiling of both fighters at this point in his career. It is hard to go against the momentum he has built coming into this fight & I believe he has what it takes to outlast Whittaker for the victory.
Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs Reinier De Ridder Prediction: Reinier De Ridder Wins (+130) at BetOnline
Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs Reinier De Ridder Best Bet: Under 2.5 Total Rounds (-115) at BetOnline
UFC Abu Dhabi Schedule & FAQ
When is UFC Abu Dhabi?
- UFC Abu Dhabi will take place Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Where is UFC Abu Dhabi?
- UFC Abu Dhabi will go down live at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
What time does UFC Abu Dhabi start?
- UFC Abu Dhabi Preliminary Card start time: 12 p.m. ET
- UFC Abu Dhabi Main Card start time: 3 p.m. ET
How to Watch UFC Abu Dhabi?
- UFC Abu Dhabi Preliminary Card Coverage: ESPN+
- UFC Abu Dhabi Main Card Coverage: ESPN+
How to Bet on UFC Abu Dhabi?
Most international and domestic sportsbooks will carry odds for a fight card of this caliber. But check out our best online sportsbooks here to see what Betting News recommends for a great UFC betting experience.
If one thing is for sure, Saturday’s card is sure to bring the action. I hope this betting guide helps bring more context to your UFC entertainment experience.
If you want my full card of bets, tune into the Violence Report on our network on Twitch every Saturday. Or for more gambling content like this, make sure to follow me on X or Betting News on all platforms!