Top middleweight contender Robert Whittaker will face off against Reinier de Ridder on 26 July.
Summer may be slow, but UFC summers are, true to form, explosive — the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation will return to the UAE for UFC Fight NIght, taking over Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, 26 July. And a truly epic middleweight fight is promised as No.5 ranked Robert Whittaker takes on rising star Reinier de Ridder. Clearly, another electrifying night in the Octagon is in the works.
Former champion Whittaker (27-8-0, fighting out of New South Wales, Australia) is one of the UFC’s most respected middleweights, who rose to prominence with standout victories over Yoel Romero, Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori. Whittaker looks to return to the win column with a dominant performance against the Dutchman.
De Ridder (20-2-0, fighting out of Breda, Netherlands) has swiftly established himself as one of UFC’s most promising middleweight contenders. Since joining the promotion in late 2024, he has showcased his elite grappling and finishing abilities. Most recently, de Ridder delivered a statement win by handing Bo Nickal his first professional loss. De Ridder is rapidly ascending the middleweight ranks and aims to continue his win streak with a win over the former champion.
We’re told that additional bouts on the card include Nikita Krylov (30-10-0, fighting out of Kislovodsk, Russia) facing Bogdan Guskov (17-3-0 fighting out of Dukent, Uzbekistan), who is looking to continue his win streak, in a light heavyweight match-up. Additionally, Ramazan Temirov (19-3-0, fighting out of Karshi, Uzbekistan) will take on Asu Almabayev (21-3-0, fighting out of Almaty, Kazakhstan) in what promises to be a thrilling flyweight bout. Lastly, Ibo Aslan (14-2-0, fighting out of Istanbul, Turkey) will meet American Billy Elekana (7-2-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) in a light heavyweight bout that should produce fireworks.
VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. This way, you can enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. Fans, take note: tickets to UFC Fight NIght are now available via etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae.
Discover: UFC Fight Night. Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. @etihadarena.ae
