Before outpointing Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi, De Ridder earned a shocking victory over the previously unbeaten Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines. De Ridder knocked out Nickal and handed the former NCAA Division I wrestling superstar the first setback of his MMA career.

Reinier de Ridder will turn his attention to a middleweight title shot next, after beating former champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi.

The blue-chip middleweight prospect suffered his first loss this past May when he lost by knockout to the more experienced Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines. Critics were quick to jump on Nickal’s misfortune, with PFL star Sergio Pettis going as far as to say the three-time NCAA wrestling champion “needed this humble pie.”

Congrats to RDR, that was a great fight. Title shot next. I have a Long Long way to go but I will keep improving, getting better and maybe we rematch someday.

Reinier de Ridder managed to squeak past former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder arguably may already be the most successful fighter to go from ONE to the UFC. The Dutchman has won his first three fights in the Octagon since his November debut,