Reinier de Ridder has a clear mission when he steps into the Octagon for his UFC Abu Dhabi main event on July 26 – close the distance and hunt for Robert Whittaker’s neck.
Known for his submission expertise, de Ridder sees Whittaker’s explosive style as the very opening he needs to impose his grappling game:
One thing we know is he really likes to jump in.
He’s explosive from a distance.So, I think an important thing for me is to keep the pressure on him like I did with Bo.
Get close, push him back, and implement my game, maybe hit him with a couple knees again, but mostly just see if I can find his neck.
Since arriving in the UFC, the Dutch fighter has wasted no time making a statement.
In under a year, he’s already notched three wins, including a stunning knockout over the previously unbeaten Bo Nickal. But against Whittaker, de Ridder expects a very different type of challenge:
Robert is an interesting one to prepare for because there’s not a lot of guys with his style in the standup.
Very explosive, likes to leap in, hands low, good punches, good kicks.
While others might be cautious stepping in against a former champion, de Ridder remains unfazed.
With the UFC middleweight belt set to be contested between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, de Ridder knows a win over Whittaker could put him right in the title conversation.
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