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Reinier de Ridder, Petr Yan and Shara Magomedov shine at UFC Abu Dhabi with thrilling wins, setting up pivotal future matchups.
Reinier de Ridder (top) conquered “The Reaper”. (X)
As the Octagon lights illuminated Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on July 26, fans were treated to three electrifying contests: Reinier de Ridder’s grappling prowess over former champion Robert Whittaker, Petr Yan’s surgical dismantling of Marcus McGhee and Shara “Bullet” Magomedov’s bloody rebound against gritty Marc-André Barriault.
Razor-thin for those knight
Robert Whittaker (27-9), former middleweight king revered for pinpoint southpaw boxing, faced undefeated (in UFC) prospect Reinier de Ridder (21-2), a powerhouse grappler with burgeoning striking chops.
Rounds 1–2: de Ridder wasted no time showcasing his world-class wrestling. In Round 1, he landed 42 strikes—jabs, knees and low kicks—to back Whittaker against the fence and tally early control time. Whittaker answered with a late head kick but ate punishing body knees in Round 2, surrendering nearly four minutes of top control that sapped his legs.
Round 3: Whittaker flipped the script, timing de Ridder’s entry and unloading a textbook overhand right that sent the Dutch-Surinamese grappler flailing to the canvas. Despite follow-up ground strikes, de Ridder weathered the storm, locked in two takedowns and secured the round’s edge with suffocating half-guard work.
Rounds 4–5: With Whittaker fading, de Ridder dictated almost every exchange—clinch takedowns, grinding ground-and-pound and constant positional control. He amassed 9:06 of control time over the final two rounds versus just 0:36 for Whittaker, outlanding him 192 to 70 overall. Two judges scored it 48–47 for de Ridder, one favoured Whittaker, resulting in a razor-thin split decision triumph for the grappler.
Vintage Petr Yan
Former bantamweight champ, Petr Yan (19-5), returned from an eight-month layoff to face Marcus McGhee (10-2), a UFC veteran riding a four-fight winning streak with eight knockouts to his name.
Round 1: McGhee’s volume leg kicks found their mark early, but Yan countered with a stiff jab and straight left that cut McGhee and opened a small eye gash. Yan’s head movement and distance control edged the round.
Round 2: Yan settled into textbook pressure boxing—checking kicks, snapping jabs and punishing McGhee’s entrance attempts. He stifled all three takedowns, landing crisp body-shot combinations that visibly slowed McGhee.
Round 3: Confident, Yan mixed in clinch wrestling—securing a body-lock takedown attempt thwarted by McGhee but cemented by multiple knees to the ribs and a scramble trip in the final minute. His unanswered strikes in the closing frame sealed a unanimous 29–28 decision on all official cards.
Shara “Bullet”: Blood-Soaked Redemption
Rising Russian phenom Shara Magomedov (16-1), rebounding from his first pro defeat to Michael “Venom” Page in February, squared off with Canadian veteran Marc-André Barriault (17-10), known for a granite chin and patient combos.
Round 1: “Bullet” peppered Barriault’s lead leg with calf kicks and swept in side kicks, dictating distance. Barriault’s takedown soaked a crisp elbow but netted limited offence.
Round 2: Chaos erupted mid-round. Barriault rocked Magomedov with a crushing right hook in the clinch, snapping his nose and unleashing follow-up uppercuts. Yet Magomedov’s warrior spirit ignited: he countered with heavy knees to the body and elbows, staggering “Power Bar” late and reclaiming round control.
Round 3: Shaken but undeterred, Magomedov mixed jump knees and spins, then seized a slip-induced takedown. From mount and half-guard, he rained elbows and short strikes until the horn. Judges rewarded his grit and striking variety with a clean 30–27 sweep on all scorecards.
Future Trajectories:
Robert Whittaker (34): A former 185-lb king, Whittaker must rebuild. A confidence-boosting clash against a durable top-10 gatekeeper—such as Hermansson—can restore his trademark boxing and pave a path back to elite status.
Reinier de Ridder (34): UFC’s grappling juggernaut, de Ridder should chase a marquee middleweight bout—possibly against Adesanya or Strickland—to cement a title-eliminator spot and propel him toward the belt.
Petr Yan (32): Yan’s combination of surgical striking and lockdown defence secures him as bantamweight royalty. Targeting the Merab vs. Sandhagen winner—or sealing a rematch with O’Malley—will likely earn him a 2025 title tilt.
Shara Magomedov (31): “Bullet’s” flair and fortitude demand elevated competition. Squaring off with a seasoned top-10 foe—Marvin Vettori, perhaps—will test his arsenal under fire and fast-track his divisional ascent.
UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi truly delivered—de Ridder’s grinding grappling, Yan’s clinical boxing, and Magomedov’s unbreakable spirit. Each victor now sits at a pivotal crossroads, primed for marquee matchups and championship gold.
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