On July 26 in Abu Dhabi, Reinier de Ridder secured a split decision victory over Robert Whittaker in a UFC Fight Night main event. While the judges awarded de Ridder the win, the in-depth UFC fight stats suggest a much closer contest that might have favored Whittaker by measures of striking accuracy and impact.
De Ridder’s Recent UFC Surge and Career Highlights
At 34, Reinier de Ridder is solidifying his reputation as one of the UFC’s most impactful recent signings coming from UAE Warriors and formerly One Championship. Since joining the UFC, he has achieved four consecutive wins, submitting Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland with chokeholds, and knocking out Bo Nickal with a knee strike earlier this year. The bout against Whittaker marked his most significant UFC triumph to date, adding to his previous championships in two weight classes during his One Championship tenure.
Judges’ Scorecards and Divergent Media Opinions
The official judges were divided on the winner. Michael Bell scored the bout 48-47 in favor of Whittaker, while Ben Cartlidge and David Lethaby gave de Ridder the same score, resulting in a split decision. Media analysts and MMA experts also split their opinions: MMA Decisions recorded nine votes supporting de Ridder’s victory and seven favoring Whittaker’s edge.
Detailed Strike Analysis Shows a Competitive Back-and-Forth
According to UFC’s strike data, Whittaker landed 70 out of 146 total strikes, with 66 of 142 being significant strikes, including a knockdown during the fight. De Ridder landed a higher volume overall with 192 of 282 total strikes, but only 67 out of 145 were significant strikes. De Ridder also secured two takedowns from 15 attempts, adding a grappling dimension to his approach. Breakdown by rounds reveals that Whittaker outperformed de Ridder in significant strikes during the first, third, and fifth rounds, highlighting the highly contested nature of the event.
Industry Reactions and Implications for Future Matchups
Reactions from MMA fighters and experts were mixed. Henry Cejudo praised de Ridder’s effort as a
“great performance” —Henry Cejudo, MMA Fighter and Analyst
and suggested he deserves a potential showdown against Israel Adesanya next. This split verdict and the close statistical comparison emphasize the evolving challenge of scoring in highly competitive bouts and may influence future matchmaking decisions for both fighters.
With this narrow victory, Reinier de Ridder continues to build momentum in the UFC middleweight division, while Robert Whittaker’s strong performance despite the loss maintains his status among the top contenders. The fight underscores the fine lines that separate victory and defeat at the highest levels of mixed martial arts.