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Arab News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
UFC Fight Night returns to Abu Dhabi in July with stacked card
ABU DHABI: UFC CEO Dana White has revealed a strong card for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. de Ridder in Abu Dhabi on July 26 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The main event will be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and highly-rated Dutch standout Reinier de Ridder whose seamless transition from the ONE Championship has been hugely impressive. White took to social media to announce what promises to be one of the most thrilling Fight Night cards of the year, which will see No.12-ranked 185-pounder De Ridder, undefeated in his three UFC bouts to date, likely earn a middleweight title eliminator should he defeat Whittaker. 'De Ridder is a former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion and has finished every one he has fought in the UFC,' White said. 'He's coming off a win over the top prospect in the sport, Bo Nickal. If De Ridder can beat Whittaker, it's very likely he'll be fighting for the No. 1 contender bout next. I am pumped for this fight because these guys are both killers — and they always come out and deliver.' The main card boasts two five-round bouts and a stacked lineup of electrifying talent, former champions, and elite contenders — all coming together for one of the year's most anticipated international showcases, marking the 21st UFC event in Abu Dhabi since 2010. In the co-main event in Abu Dhabi, unbeaten featherweight Movsar Evloev takes on UFC newcomer Aaron Pico. Evloev, who will be looking to extend his eight-fight winning streak since his UFC debut in 2019, most recently outpointed Aljamain Sterling in a hard-fought unanimous decision at UFC 310 in December 2024. Pico, long considered MMA's top free agent, recently joined the UFC roster. A decorated collegiate wrestler and former Bellator standout, the 28-year-old currently holds a 13-4 professional record and arrives with major expectations. White added: 'Aaron Pico is a ridiculously violent striker and a very high-level grappler. He's had hype behind him since he was a teenager because of his skill set and fighting style — people compare him to guys like Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier.' Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan makes his return in a featured bout against rising contender Marcus McGhee. Yan will be looking to build on the momentum from a strong 2024, where he secured consecutive wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. UFC Abu Dhabi Fight Card: Robert Whittaker vs. Renier de Ridder - Middleweight Movsar Evloev vs. Aaron Pico - Featherweight Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee - Bantamweight Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov - Bantamweight Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault - Middleweight Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov - Light Heavyweight
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Abu Dhabi: Robert Whittaker Set to Face Fastest-Rising Middleweight Star in Legacy Fight
UFC Abu Dhabi: Robert Whittaker Set to Face Fastest-Rising Middleweight Star in Legacy Fight originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The UFC is returning to Abu Dhabi this summer, and Dana White has confirmed a massive lineup for the July 26 Fight Night event at the Etihad Arena. Headlining the card is former champion Robert Whittaker, who will face Reinier de Ridder in a pivotal middleweight showdown. Whittaker's name carries weight in the sport, but this might be the kind of fight that redefines it. It's a test, a statement, and maybe—just maybe—a turning point. Advertisement Whittaker, 34, the proud Australian and former UFC middleweight champion, hasn't been seen in the Octagon since UFC 308, where a face crank from Khamzat Chimaev brought a sudden, painful end to his night. Robert WhittakerGetty Images The first-round submission didn't just stop the fight—it popped his jaw and wrecked his lower teeth. There were reports that you could hear a pop from cageside. Since then, Whittaker's been on the mend, and now he's stepping right back into the fire. Standing in his way is Reinier de Ridder, also 34—a submission ace from the Netherlands and former two-division champ in ONE Championship. De Ridder has quietly built a resume of chaos, finishing his last three opponents, including a dominant submission win over then-undefeated Bo Nickal. His grappling pedigree is no joke, and he has a way of dragging opponents into deep water fast. Reinier de Ridder© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images For Whittaker, it's more than just another fight. This is the kind of moment careers pivot on. He's danced with the best—Adesanya, Romero, Cannonier, Vettori, and most recently, Chimaev. He knows the pressure of the big stage. But he also knows that in a division this stacked, there's no room to fall behind. Advertisement Ranked #5, he could be one big win away from title talk—or one stumble away from being passed by. If he's able to put on a dominant performance in Abu Dhabi, talk of rematches with Chimaev or current champion Dricus du Plessis could quickly come into focus. Both fights carry storylines that fans are eager to revisit—and Whittaker knows he has unfinished business with both. And he won't be alone under the spotlight. The rest of the card is loaded with names and matchups that scream action: UFC FIGHT NIGHT: ABU DHABI – July 26 | Etihad Arena Bout order subject to change Middleweight Bout 🇦🇺 #5 Robert Whittaker vs. #12 Reinier de Ridder 🇳🇱 5-Round Co-Main Event – Featherweight Bout 🇷🇺 Movsar Evloev vs. Aaron Pico 🇺🇸 Bantamweight Bout 🇷🇺 #3 Petr Yan vs. #13 Marcus McGhee 🇺🇸 Featherweight Bout 🇺🇸 Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov 🇷🇺 Middleweight Bout 🇷🇺 Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-André Barriault 🇨🇦 Light Heavyweight Bout 🇷🇺 Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov 🇺🇿 With top-ranked contenders, proven veterans, and breakout prospects all sharing the stage, UFC Abu Dhabi feels like more than a Fight Night—it feels like a reckoning. For Whittaker, the stakes couldn't be higher. Advertisement Related: Ben Askren: New Update Reveals Emotional Details on UFC Veteran's Ongoing Health Battle Related: Team Makhachev Reveals UFC's Power Play to Elevate Ilia Topuria This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bo Nickal evokes Terminator on Star Wars Day after UFC Des Moines loss: 'I'll be back'
Bo Nickal evokes Terminator on Star Wars Day after UFC Des Moines loss: 'I'll be back' Wrestling standout breaks silence after first loss of career There was a lot of talk about Bo Nickal in the buildup to UFC on ESPN 67. Some of it was Nickal's own doing when he talked about bulking up north of 220 pounds ahead of his next middleweight fight. Come fight week in Des Moines, Iowa, that left some analysts wondering if Nickal had been employing a bit of gamesmanship around a supposed hard weight cut. This past Friday on the scale, he came in at 185.5 pounds and was one of the final few fighters to weight in. How difficult the cut was, perhaps only Nickal and his crew from American Top Team only know. It didn't get in the way of the betting lines for Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) being north of 4-1 in his favor against former ONE Championship two-division titleholder Reinier de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the co-main event. When the dust settled Saturday, though, de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was all smiles while his hand was raised. Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) left the cage with the first loss of his MMA career. His loss was the fourth biggest upset of 2025 in the UFC – so not at all insignificant. Nickal, an elite wrestler, took de Ridder down in the first round, but an eventual scramble saw him wind up on his back in a rarity. In the second, de Ridder stayed on his feet against Nickal and started working knees and punches to the body. They started to take their toll, and one final one crumbled Nickal and his unbeaten record. Sunday, he broke his proverbial silence of all of 16 hours or so after the loss to deliver a short message on social media. "Grateful for the highs and lows," Nickal posted. "I'll be back." Nickal had two submission wins on DWCS to get into the UFC, then two straight first-round finishes in the promotion. WHen the competition stepped up to Cody Brundage a year ago, he had to go into the second round for the first time, but left with a submission win. This past November, he had to go the distance for the first time, but still left with a decision over Paul Craig. But against de Ridder, arguably his most decorated opponent yet, he fell victim to the brutal body shots.
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC's Reinier de Ridder ready for big fights after TKO win over Bo Nickal in Des Moines
UFC's Reinier de Ridder ready for big fights after TKO win over Bo Nickal in Des Moines Show Caption Hide Caption UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder discusses TKO win over Bo Nickal UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder earned a TKO win over Bo Nickal at UFC Fight Night in Des Moines on May 3. After he delivered a left strike that staggered Bo Nickal backwards, UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder (20-2) surged forward with a left knee to his opponent's abdomen. Nickal (7-1) collapsed near the cage before the referee called the fight in round two in favor of the Netherlands-born fighter. With his arms raised to his side, de Ridder stood upward then blew kisses to a few upset fans in the crowd before he formed a heart-shaped motion to cap off his post-fight celebration at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on May 3. de Ridder handed Nickal, a four-time Penn State wrestling All-American, the first loss of his mixed martial arts career. He did it with a collection of body shots throughout the fight. 'I felt like every time I hit him to the body, I felt him dropping his hands a little bit, I felt him moving to his right like he was hurt a little bit,' de Ridder said. 'I saw he was hurt (in the second round). I took a step back. I stepped back in; he hit me with a one-two (punch). I was like, 'that's not smart' and then I hit him again to the body, and I got him out of there and I felt he was on his way out already.' Prior to the middleweight scrap, de Ridder's walkout carried a roar of boos more than his octagon counterpart like a soldier entering enemy territory. Yet, the TKO finish unleashed a high-pitched roar of applause. It was de Ridder's third-straight win in the UFC over the last six months. Following the fight, de Ridder sported bumps, bruises and a noticeable grin as he took his seat inside the media interview room in the depths of Wells Fargo Arena. 'It wasn't too bad right?' de Ridder said with a smirk post-fight. The result offered a bit of jubilation and a victory over a rising prospect in Nickal. For de Ridder, the win was a stepping stone to a bigger opportunity against a top-ten fighter in the middleweight division. He called for a fight against former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who is ranked No. 2 in the division. 'As I said in the cage. This was the best American wrestler? Let's do the best American striker,' de Ridder said. 'I like Sean, he's a funny dude, he's a real character … and I think he's an interesting matchup style-wise. He has a very good jab; I don't think my jab is too bad. I would like that fight, I would really like that fight.' de Ridder has a knack for competition. So much so, he'd fight the following week if it meant that he'd climb the middleweight division at a faster rate. For now, he's enjoying the fruits of his labor focused on a higher-stakes showdown. Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@ and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bo Nickal got run over by a Reinier, which is par for the UFC course in 2025
Bo Nickal lost his unbeaten record and at least some of his prospect hype, thanks to some punishing knees by Reinier de Ridder in the co-main event of Saturday's UFC Fight Night in Des Moines, Iowa. (Reese Strickland-Imagn Images) Back in January, the blue-chip prospect Payton Talbott made the walk as a 10-to-1 favorite against Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311 and then got dominated for three rounds. That hurt, but not nearly as bad as the kicks he received on social media after the loss. Playing along, he posted afterward that he was sentencing himself to Dagestan to learn to wrestle. Last week, Carlos Prates suffered something similar. He was 5-0 in the UFC with five knockouts. He was a big reason the Fighting Nerds were being celebrated as a gang of four-eyed marauders, and yet he got smoked by Ian Garry in the barbecue capital of Kansas City. Garry even pretended to tamp out a cigarette after he got his hand raised. Advertisement Perhaps it's always been the case, but in 2025 it's definitely a thing — the UFC has come to stand for the Ultimate Fraud Check. There's a glee that accompanies watching a dutifully hyped prospect get his arse handed to him, especially from those who worship at the altar of chaos. It happened again on Saturday night at the UFC's Fight Night in Des Moines, Iowa. This time it was the undefeated former collegiate wrestler Bo Nickal who got the treatment. Nickal was a -300 favorite to beat the Dutchman Reinier de Ridder, and therefore a featured chalk line on level-headed parlays. As a three-time national champion out of Penn State, Nickal was being imagined into fights with such names as Khamzat Chimaev from the time he emerged from the Contender Series, which of course couldn't help but rub some people the wrong way. So when he lost to de Ridder, the social media chorus swelled. Words like 'exposed' were getting tossed around by those who knew, which is everyone in the habit of predicting outcomes retrospectively. A wicked knee to the body from de Ridder did the trick, yet that was only the end sequence. Before then de Ridder showed that he wouldn't take in-cage dictation from anybody, even a brass-tacks wrestler with decades of pedigree. Advertisement De Ridder wasn't about to be bullied, and in fact turned the tables on Nickal. He was tenderizing Bo's insides with the knees to the body. It was a revelation. It's that kind of thing that gives the UFC its juice, this brand of truth-telling. The idea that there's always an opponent coming to snatch that zero. The understanding that hype is carefully built just so it can be imploded on live TV. And let's face it, hype is traditionally the name of the fight game, as generating public interest converts nicely into American dollars. That's where Bo was. Right on the cusp. He was the marquee name in the cornfield because he looked inevitable. Advertisement There was talk of him headlining his next fight at the Bryce Jordan Center in Happy Valley, tailor-made for an All-American homecoming. Nickal had finished the first five opponents he faced in the UFC, and easily handled Paul Craig in his last fight, even if Craig survived to hear the scorecards. Nickal's loss to de Ridder is the first of his professional career, and came in yet another match-up in which Nickal was the heavy favorite. (Reese Strickland-Imagn Images) (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters) Were his opponents handpicked? You're damn right they were! Nobody was trying to throw Paddy Pimblett to the wolves, and look where he is now, on the verge of contendership. Which is another way of saying Paddy's still 'ripe for exposure,' to a certain way of thinking. No, in 2025 watching hype get smashed has become a delicacy on Saturday nights. When Umar Nurmagomedov fell against Merab Dvalishvili, the middle fingers couldn't get out of their clinched fists fast enough. Advertisement Perhaps it's an undying need to see people get humbled. Nickal himself helped fuel things by saying that even as a -1600 favorite in his early fights that it was value, which is the right mindset for a guy who knows nothing but winning. Did he say he could hang with Chimaev? He did, he did. But to see him get handled the way he did Saturday night, you'd think his entire career was nothing more than a house of cards. 'If one's standup and grappling is superior, the wrestling pedigree merely allows their opponent to decide where they will lose,' Al Iaquinta pointed out on X afterward. A fairly even-keel take, even if it wasn't the case when he fought Khabib Nurmagomedov. Another take? BO NICKAL FRAUD CHECKED, in all caps. Maybe so. You'd have to think that as a longtime competitor Nickal will use the loss as motivation to come back stronger. Losses don't sit well with fighters who've spent their whole lives staying in control. Bo's the latest to take an L on his way to Big Things, and he won't be the last. The glee that follows? Well, let's just say that never has comeuppance been so exposed.
