Reinier de Ridder's stocks continue to rise after UFC Fight Night win over Robert Whittaker
The Dutchman clinched a split decision over the fifth-ranked Australian and former middleweight champion in the headline contest in the UFC Fight Night at the Etihad Arena on Saturday.
The result took De Ridder's record for the year to a perfect five, following his departure from One Championship.
For Whittaker, it was his second successive defeat after a first-round submission by Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi last October.
'Give me a chance to fight for that strap,' De Ridder screamed from the octagon when he was declared the winner.
Later appearing at the post-fight conference, De Ridder said he went for the finish as always but Whittaker 'was amazing, tough, durable and had heavy hands,' denying him a finish for the first time in five fights.
Whittaker was on top of his game from the outset. He landed some clean combinations and moved faster to avoid De Ridder with a couple take down attempts to take the opening round.
The Australian continued to use his speed and precision in the next but De Ridder hit back with a few strikes and high knees, eventually finishing the round with a successful takedown.
'I don't really remember too much of those moments but I think I was in trouble a little bit at the start,' De Ridder acknowledged.
'I got to watch this (video replay) back. I think I got on top at least in the last two rounds, and maybe, the second as well. I hurt him a couple times with the knee, but this guy, he was hard to put away.
'Think I said it a couple times already, but one of the best Robs I've seen in years. He was so calm, collected, very explosive.'
De Ridder said he settled down well as the fight progressed and was able to see where Whittaker's punches were coming from.
'I rushed a little bit in the beginning and he's just very quick, very fast,' he said.
'Then I found at a certain point that he had a very hard time hitting me if I was just in control.
'If I could see what he was throwing it was hard for him to get me. If I was just aware where my hands were and then I could hit him with the jab a little bit.'
De Ridder secured a 48-47 decision from two judges, while the third gave the contest to Whittaker 48-47.
De Ridder can now legitimately aim higher. The middleweight division in the UFC is packed with potential challengers to South African Dricus du Plessis's belt. De Ridder feels there is a lot going on over the next few months, making it difficult to think of his next opponent.
'I want to prove that I'm the best. I want to get back into gym and on all that happened in this fight. But first I need some relaxation for a couple weeks.'
Having appeared in five fights in exactly a year, De Ridder will take a well-earned break.
'I see myself laying on the beach eating biscuits and beef ribs, playing with my kids,' he said of his recovery plans.
'Relaxing for a couple weeks and then we'll see. But see what happens. There's a lot going on in the middleweight division in the next couple of weeks.'
De Ridder, 34, has emerged as one of the rising stars in UFC after recording wins over Gerald Meerschaert, Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal, all without going the distance following his sole appearance in the UAE Warriors exactly a year ago.
He stopped Russian Magomedmurad Khasaev with a first-round TKO in the Abu Dhabi promotion after a highly publicised falling out with One Championship, an organisation where he was a double world champion.
De Ridder is ever grateful for Abu Dhabi's role in clearing him from the legal battle with his former promotion. He has now completed the journey with the win over Whittaker in the capital city.
'Habibi. Abu Dhabi. Shukran. I love you guys,' he said of the platform provided by the UAE Warriors that eventually paved the way for his rise in the UFC.
'I'm a top five fighter in the world, I guess. That's crazy. Who can believe it? And in one year, by the way. I think I have a good chance fighting for the title someday soon,' he said.
'The winning formula is hard work, and I've been in so much work. Sometimes, some weeks, I'm surprised my body still keeps up, but I'm still here. I'm still standing.
'Give me a little bit of time to recover and I'm back in the gym and trying to get even better.'
Petr Yan, the former bantam weight champion, also stayed on course to regain his belt after a unanimous decision over Marcus McGhee.
Shara Magomedov gave the audience their money's worth when he outclassed Canadian Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision in a middleweight bout.
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