Robert Whittaker was surprised to find out that he would be facing Reinier de Ridder in his next UFC fight.
The former middleweight champion Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) is set to take on De Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the UFC on ABC 9 headliner on July 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Both fighters were initially hoping to fight Sean Strickland next, but ended up being matched up against each other.
“I thought I was preparing for a fight in late June, possibly in Baku. But then, just four days ago, I was informed that I would be facing De Ridder in the main event in Abu Dhabi on July 26. It was unexpected, but I’m ready for the challenge,” Whittaker said.
De Ridder may not be a top-ranked contender, but he is coming off a significant win against Bo Nickal. Whittaker is determined to work his way back to the title and aims for a “fairytale ending” to his career, inspired by his fellow Australian UFC champions.
“I want to get back in there and start winning again. I have a few years left in my career, and I’m focused on achieving that fairytale ending by winning the belt and retiring on a high note,” Whittaker expressed.