We are live! Stay tuned to Heavy for live results and highlights throughout today’s UFC Fight Night: Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder card (UFC on ABC 9) from Abu Dhabi.
In the main event, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will look to get back in the win column after a loss to Khamzat Chimaev, while on the flip side, former ONE champ-champ Reinier de Ridder will look to keep his win streak alive in what could be the toughest bout of his UFC career thus far.
In the co-main event, former bantamweight champion Petr Yan will look to make it three in a row when he collides with streaking contender Marcus McGhee, who, much like RDR, could be in for the toughest test of his UFC career as he takes a big step up in competition.
UFC Abu Dhabi: Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder Live Results & Highlights
MAIN CARD (ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder
In the main event of Saturday’s Abu Dhabi card, both fighters found success through the first five minutes, with de Ridder looking to initiate the grappling, and Whittaker looking to utilize his signature brand of striking to keep the former ONE champ guessing.
Midway through the second round, RDR landed a notable flying knee to the body that he used to take the fight to the ground for the first time.
In the third round, Reinier de Ridder appeared to hurt Robert Whittaker; however, The Reaper then turned the tide, dropping RDR and swinging momentum back in his favor. Midway through the round, de Ridder managed to secure a big takedown that allowed him to ride out the remainder of the round in top position.
In the fourth, de Ridder looked to utilize a Randy Couture-esque gameplan, using his size to wear on Whittaker in the clinch, while Whittaker looked to pick his shots. With just under a minute in the round, RDR landed a big overhand that may have secured him the fourth.
Heading into the final five minutes, it appears as though the community scorecards have this one even. Throughout the final five minutes, RDR racked up the control time in the clinch; however, he failed to inflict any significant damage with the position.
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How did you score it?!
@AbuDhabiEvents | @VisitAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi | #UFCAbuDhabiReinier de Ridder beats Robert Whittaker by split decision!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Reinier de Ridder def. Robert Whittaker via Split Decision
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee
Through the first five minutes of action, Petr Yan and Marcus McGhee treated their co-main event bout like a kickboxing match. While both fighters found success at points throughout the round, McGhee notably landed a higher volume of strikes.
In the second, Yan began to find his range, landing a straight shot that stunned McGhee, which proved to be a preview of things to come. Throughout the second half of the round, Yan began to pick up the pace and sit down on his punches more and more, swinging momentum in his favor.
At the start of the third, Yan picked up where he left off in the second, however, through the final two and a half minutes, the former champ notably began to utilize his grappling more, taking McGhee down repeatedly en route to a decision win.
Result: Petr Yan def. Marcus McGhee via Unanimous Decision.
Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Shara Magomedov
After suffering the first loss of his pro career at the hands of Michael ‘Venom’ Page, Shara Magomedov entered into today’s fight against Marc-Andre Barriault eager to get back in the win column.
Throughout the first round, Magomedov battered the lead leg of Barriault with a dozen leg kicks, while making use of push kicks to stifle the advances of his opponent. While Magomedov appeared to be finding his rhythm in the second, opening up with more strikes than he did in the first, Barriault caught him with a big right hand midway through the round that stunned Shara Bullet and shifted momentum in his favor.
With just under 30 seconds left in the round, however, Magomedov landed a big knee in the clinch that nearly ended the fight, turning the tides yet again.
In the third, the two traded back and forth, with Magomedov utilizing leg kicks and jumping knees to keep Barriault thinking, and the Canadian standout looking to close the distance and land big shots.
Just like in the second round, with just under 30 seconds left, Magomedov managed to score another knockdown, all-but guaranteeing him the third round on the judges’ scorecards.
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How did you score Shara Magomedov vs Marc-Andre Barriault?!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Shara Magomedov def. Marc-Andre Barriault via Unanimous Decision
Asu Almabayev vs. Jose Ochoa
Following the withdrawal of Ramazan Temirov, Jose Ochoa quickly proved that he wasn’t going to be outmatched against Asu Almabayev. Although Ochoa conceded an early takedown, he ended the round on Almabayev’s back, hunting for a rear-naked choke while holding onto a body lock.
After a back-and-forth second round, Almabayev’s grappling began to wear on Ochoa, with the No. 9-ranked flyweight beginning to open up with ground-and-pound strikes in the third en route to a high-paced decision win.
Despite the strong finish from Almabayev, Ochoa showed his mettle after stepping in on short notice.
Result: Asu Almabayev def. Jose Ochoa via Unanimous Decision
Bogdan Guskov vs. Nikita Krylov
Bogdan Guskov appeared to find his rhythm early against Nikita Krylov, keeping his lead hand low as he picked his shots.
Towards the end of the first round, Krylov threw a naked low kick, allowing Guskov to throw a right hand that landed clean, sending the light heavyweight vet to the canvas and forcing referee Marc Goddard to step in.
Bogdan Guskov knocks out Nikita Krylov!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Bogdan Guskov def. Nikita Krylov via TKO (Round 2)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, Noon ET)
Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Bryce Mitchell’s bantamweight debut got off to a tough start as he was dropped by Said Nurmagomedov, who shares no relation with Khabib Nurmagomedov despite the shared surname, in the first round.
In the second, however, Mitchell began to gain momentum, taking the fight to the ground early and evening up the scorecards.
In the third, Mitchell followed his corner’s advice, taking the fight to the ground early, controlling the remaining five minutes of action en route to a decision win.
Things are heating up at #UFCAbuDhabi!
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This fight is living up to the hype!
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How did you score it?!
@AbuDhabiEvents | @VisitAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Bryce Mitchell def. Said Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Carlos Leal vs. Muslim Salikhov
As the old saying goes, power is the last thing to go, and at 41 years old, Muslim Salikhov proved that to be the case.
In the first round of his fight with Carlos Leal, Salikhov landed a devastating overhand right that knocked Leal out cold, pushing The King of Kung Fu’s win streak to three.
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Result: Muslim Salikhov def. Carlos Leal vai KO (Round 1)
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Davey Grant
In the bantamweight division, Da’Mon Blackshear managed to get a quick takedown early in the first round of his fight with Davey Grant, maintaining control and threatening with submissions throughout much of the round.
In the second, however, Grant began to find his rhythm, stuffing takedowns and putting Blackshear on the back foot in order to open up his striking. Grant then built on that momentum in the third, battering Blackshear en route to what looks to be a decision win.
Result: Davey Grant def. Da’Mon Blackshear via Unanimous Decision
Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci
Amanda Ribas and Tabatha Ricci both entered into their strawweight showdown eager to climb the UFC.com rankings.
After a back-and-forth first round that saw neither fighter gain significant momentum, Ricci appeared to establish her clinch game in the second, landing some big shots along the cage. After appearing to stun Ribas with an elbow in the clinch, Baby Shark was able to take the fight to the ground, and finish the bout with some brutal ground-and-pound strikes.
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Result: Tabatha Ricci def. Amanda Ribas via TKO (Round 2)
Ibo Aslan vs. Billy Elekana
Following the action-packed Nguyen vs. Yahya fight, the Abu Dhabi crowd wasn’t too pleased with the slow start in the Aslan vs. Elekana fight, with fans boo-ing the pair at the end of a lackluster first round.
In the second, the two went back and forth in a competitive round that fight fans on Verdict scored slightly in Aslan’s favor.
Despite that, Elekana wound up getting the decision win, the first of his UFC career.
Billy Elekana beats Ibo Aslan by unanimous decision!
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Billy Elekana def. Ibo Aslan by unanimous decision.
Steven Nguyen vs. Mohammad Yahya
As Michael Bisping wrote down in his pre-fight analysis, Mohammad Yahya punches across distance far too often, and it quickly cost the featherweight against Steve Nguyen.
Moments into the fight Nguyen dropped Yahya, and although “The UAE Warrior” survived, he struggled to bounce back. Throughout the first round, Yahya was dropped five times, with the commentary team left stunned by referee Jason Herzog’s decision to keep the fight going.
In the second, Yahya stunned Nguyen early, however, he was then dropped a historic sixth time. Midway through the second, Yahya’s left eye began to swell, and with the featherweight unable to see, doctors decided to call things off between rounds before the start of the third.
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Result: Steven Nguyen def. Mohammad Yahya via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)
Marcus Buchecha vs. Martin Buday
The highly anticipated UFC debut of Buchecha, who is a highly decorated Jiu-Jitsu black belt, saw the two go back-and-forth in the first, before Buchecha was able to utilize his grappling to control most of the action in the second.
In the third, however, Buchecha began gassing hard, with Buday taking full advantage in the striking exchanges. After following Buchecha to the ground, however, the No. 13 ranked heavyweight found himself fighting from bottom position through most of the final 90 seconds before reversing position and ending the round with a big flurry of ground-and-pound strikes.
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@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabiResult: Martin Buday def. Marcus Buchecha via Unanimous Decision
UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: Whittaker vs. De Ridder Live Results & Highlights