Reinier de Ridder proved he belongs among the elite, grinding out a split-decision win over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. de Ridder. The Dutch contender survived a brutal knockdown in round three, then used his trademark knees, suffocating clinch work, and non-stop pressure to sway two of the three judges, who scored it 48-47 in his favor.
The action was fast right from the opening bell. Whittaker opened strong, snapping de Ridder’s head back with clean boxing combinations and cutting him above the eye early. De Ridder responded with relentless grappling attempts and those punishing knees that defined the fight. A rib-crunching shot in the first round forced Whittaker to adjust — setting the stage for a battle of Whittaker’s sharp boxing versus de Ridder’s grinding style.
The third round brought pure chaos. De Ridder staggered Whittaker with a quick combo, only to get flattened seconds later by a thunderous right hand. Whittaker swarmed with elbows as the Dutchman hit the mat, but somehow de Ridder gathered himself, scrambled up, and even scored a takedown — flipping momentum in one of the fight’s biggest moments.
Rounds four and five turned into a war of attrition. De Ridder leaned on clinch control, body knees, and short punches while Whittaker kept firing combinations in tight spots. It was razor-close to the horn, but de Ridder’s volume and cage control ultimately stole the edge.
“I don’t want to just survive — I want to finish guys,” de Ridder said afterward. “Robert is so tough, but maybe now I’m ready for the winner of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev. Give me the belt next.”
For Whittaker, the loss marks his second straight setback after being submitted by Khamzat Chimaev. For de Ridder, the win cements him as a real threat at middleweight, especially with contenders like Caio Borralho vs. Nassourdine Imavov also looming in the division’s title picture.
De Ridder vs. Whittaker didn’t produce a highlight-reel finish, but it proved the “Dutch Knight” can survive hell, recover, and still walk out with his hand raised on the biggest stage.
