De Ridder Shocks Whittaker at UFC Fight Night
The former ONE Championship two-division champion, Reinier de Ridder, put the UFC middleweight division on alert by defeating former champion Robert Whittaker by split decision in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.Despite being knocked down and nearly finished by Whittaker, de Ridder showed his mettle by coming back and overcoming Whittaker, securing the victory. Since his promotional debut last November, De Ridder maintains a 4-0 record.
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Whittaker: The End of an Era
Whittaker’s defeat is a bittersweet moment for the fans. He has been a consistent and underestimated competitor in his career. He won the interim UFC title in 2017, but was denied the opportunity to unify the title against figures like Michael Bisping or Georges St-Pierre. Instead, Whittaker faced Yoel Romero in two epic fights and then lost the belt to Israel Adesanya. Since then, he has acted as a gatekeeper of the division.Although Whittaker still shows his tenacity and skill, De Ridder’s victory suggests a generational shift. De Ridder, with his third victory in 2025, seems to be on the rise, while Whittaker, although still competitive, shows signs of wear and tear. For the 185-pound division, it’s De Ridder’s time.
Petr Yan: The UFC’s Most Underrated Fighter?
In the last five years, few UFC fighters have had such a misleading record as Yan. He was the UFC champion in July 2020, and his professional record was 15-1. He lost his title by disqualification in an incident with an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling. After that, Yan defeated Cory Sandhagen to obtain an interim championship, and he was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. However, he suffered split-decision losses to Sterling and Sean O’Malley, and also lost to Merab Dvalishvili. At his best, Yan seemed unbeatable. A rematch against Dvalishvili would be intriguing.
Shara Magomedov: A Path Full of Emotions
The interaction between Magomedov and UFC commentator Michael Bisping after their fight was significant. Following his victory over Marc-Andre Barriault, Magomedov expressed his admiration for Bisping, whom he sees as a great motivation.Magomedov’s path to the UFC title will likely be full of ups and downs, similar to Bisping’s. His victory on Saturday was impressive, with high-level striking and near-perfect takedown defense. He overcame adversity in the second round, despite the injury to his nose. Despite being the favorite, Magomedov did not dominate as expected. After his defeat to Michael “Venom” Page, it is clear that his path to the title will not be easy, but Magomedov seems prepared to face it.“You are a great motivation for me. Step by step, I will become a champion”
Shara Magomedov
