De Ridder vs Whittaker: End of an era? Yan and Magomedov in UFC

De Ridder Imposes His Presence in the UFC Middleweight Division

The two-division ONE Championship ex-champion, Reinier de Ridder, has put the UFC middleweight division on alert after a split decision victory over ex-champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Fight Night held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Despite being knocked down and nearly finished by Whittaker, de Ridder demonstrated his determination by coming back and overcoming Whittaker, securing the victory. Since his promotional debut last November, de Ridder maintains a 4-0 record.

What lessons did De Ridder’s victory leave on the current state of the middleweight division? In the co-main event, former bantamweight champion Petr Yan reaffirmed his position as a force in the division by securing a unanimous decision victory over Marcus McGhee. Could he be close to challenging to regain the belt? Also, what can we expect from Shara Magomedov’s victory over Marc-Andre Barriault in the main card?

UFC Fight Night Keys

Whittaker’s Defeat: A New Chapter in the Division

Robert Whittaker’s defeat is a turning point for the division. Whittaker, an emblematic fighter, has always stood out for his professionalism and dedication. Although underestimated at the beginning, his career includes obtaining the interim UFC title in 2017. His path to the title was marked by difficult confrontations, including two consecutive fights against Yoel Romero. Subsequently, Whittaker lost the belt to Israel Adesanya. Since then, he has taken on a gatekeeper role in the division. Title contenders, Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev, earned their title shots after defeating Whittaker.

Although Whittaker’s tenacity remains intact, De Ridder’s victory suggests a generational shift. De Ridder, of a similar age to Whittaker, showed superior performance. De Ridder’s victory, consolidating his third triumph in 2025, benefits the middleweight division. Whittaker, although still competitive, seems to be showing signs of decline, while De Ridder is emerging as a rising figure.

Petr Yan: An Underrated Talent in UFC

In the last five years, few UFC fighters have had a record as misleading as Yan’s. He won the UFC championship in July 2020, with a professional record of 15-1. He lost his title by disqualification in an incident with an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling. Afterward, Yan defeated Cory Sandhagen for the interim championship in 2022. However, he has suffered close split-decision losses to Sterling and Sean O’Malley, as well as a loss against Merab Dvalishvili. Despite these setbacks, Yan remains a formidable competitor. If some aspects had been different, Yan could still be bantamweight champion. A possible matchup with Dvalishvili remains intriguing.

Petr Yan, on the right, defeated Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night. Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Shara Magomedov: A Path Full of Challenges

The interaction between Magomedov and UFC commentator Michael Bisping after their fight was significant. Magomedov, after defeating Marc-Andre Barriault, expressed his admiration for Bisping, highlighting his motivation. With a record of 5-1 in UFC, Magomedov aspires to be a champion. The victory on Saturday was impressive. Magomedov demonstrated high-level striking and almost perfect takedown defense. He overcame adversity in the second round when Barriault broke his nose. He showed courage and won the fight. Despite being the favorite, Magomedov did not dominate as expected. His path to the title will be full of challenges, as demonstrated by his defeat to Michael “Venom” Page. However, Magomedov is prepared to face them, as demonstrated by his motivation for Bisping.