Abu Dhabi: Psychologist-turned-UFC fighter aims for knockout punch

It’s hard to mistake Reinier de Ridder’s quiet conviction when he talks about Abu Dhabi. There's reverence in his voice. Not just because he’s headlining UFC Fight Night on July 26 at the iconic Etihad Arena, but because the UAE capital is where everything once seemed possible, and now, it's where it all comes full circle.

In just under a year, “The Dutch Knight” has gone from debutant to main eventer. He’s done it with ruthless clarity — three fights, three finishes. A pair of signature submissions over Gerald Meerschaert, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Kevin Holland, who earned two Performance of the Night bonuses in 2025 (vs. Nelson, Luque).

His UFC arrival wasn’t quiet. It was calculated and clinical, and his statement of intent came loudest at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, in May, where he fought on the Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo card.

Facing Bo Nickal, the Olympic-calibre wrestling phenom who had bulldozed his way through early UFC opposition, De Ridder flipped the script.

In a fight billed as 'grappler vs grappler', it was “The Dutch Knight” who brandished the sharper sword. Stuffing out Nickal’s early takedown attempts, he then punished the 2019 U23 World 2020 Olympic Team Trials finalist with slicing elbows and crisp clinch work, before ending it all with a stunning second-round TKO.

Now, he faces Robert Whittaker, the former UFC middleweight champion and perennial Samоan–Māori elite, in a clash that could rewire the middleweight title landscape.

“It’s very cool,” De Ridder told Khaleej Times. “To be fighting Robert, a former champ, as the main event in Abu Dhabi, a place that’s very dear to me, that’s special.”

Special, yes. But sentiment won’t cloud strategic thinking. De Ridder isn’t just bringing heart to Abu Dhabi; he’s bringing a game plan. A man of many layers and accomplishments, including black belts in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo, a trained physiotherapist, and a former psychologist, he’s dissecting this fight with the precision of a surgeon as Whittaker, a dangerous and decorated opponent, is his most complex puzzle yet.

The Dutchman has fought killers already, yet it’s not the names or make-up of his opponents, it’s how he’s won that demands total attention.

When asked how his recent streak reflects on his evolution in the UFC Octagon, his answer was crisp but revealing: “I’ve been working hard on everything. I’ve been kickboxing for over 10 years, but jiu jitsu was my first love, and it always will be. That said, if I can land some good knees, some elbows... that’d be nice too.”

'The art of becoming complete'

De Ridder doesn’t just see himself as a skilled submission artist with knockout potential. He sees himself as a complete fighter in constant refinement.

“The grappling is my identity, it’s what I love to show,” he said. “But the striking, the wrestling, the Muay Thai, the judo, those are all crucial too. Hopefully, I get to show it all in Abu Dhabi.”

That’s where this fight gets intriguing.

Whittaker is riding high off a statement win in Riyadh, where he flattened the undefeated Russian fighter Ikram Aliskerov, a four-time world champion in ‘combat sambo’ and dangerous grappler, in under three minutes. But it’s his resume that speaks volumes with standout victories over Yoel Romero (twice), Derek Brunson, Jared Cannonier, Kelvin Gastelum, Marvin Vettori, the who's who of the middleweight division. He has only suffered two setbacks, to the truly elite of the division -  New Zealand’s Israel Adesanya (twice) and the explosive South African Dricus du Plessis.

But De Ridder believes in exposing Whittaker’s flaws and perhaps even exploiting the one crack he sees in Whittaker's armour.

“I’d love to find his neck,” he said. “I think there are takedown openings we can exploit. I’ll aim to grind him down. But if I can hear some good knees, some good elbows, then that'd be nice too..”

The UAE connection

UFC Fight Night on July 26 isn’t De Ridder’s first dance in the Emirates. Before UFC lights, he was grinding through brackets.

“Abu Dhabi was the first place I really achieved something major, winning the World Pro (Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship), and for the first time, making money doing sports,” he recalls. “It was very special for me as well.

“And then last year, when I had a lot of trouble going on with the One Championship, where I was unable to get fights there, I was in a very tough position. Abu Dhabi really saved my career in a big way, giving me a fight there at UAE Warriors, supporting me.”

De Ridder seized the opportunity with both his gloved hands and defeated Magomedmurad Khasaev via first-round TKO on his promotional debut in July 2024. As a newcomer, he was just realising what the sport could do for his career.

“I'm really thankful to everybody at UAE Warriors and Abu Dhabi will always have a special place in my heart,” he said.

This connection makes July 26 not just another fight as he attempts to scale the middleweight division, but a homecoming of sorts.

Brains behind the brawn

De Ridder’s technical polish isn’t accidental. He’s a lifelong student of the human body and the mind. Trained as a physiotherapist and psychologist, he understands how to push limits without breaking down.

“It’s helped me a lot,” he said. “I know how much I can do in training, where to hold back, what matters most. It's very useful for me to know a lot about the body, and I know what I can do in training, what the important stuff is.

“Over the last few years, I haven't been working as a physical therapist as much anymore, and we recently even closed the practice that I used to own and work in. But it's always been a very nice part of my life, and maybe I'll return to it one day.

For now, though, everything is focused on July 26.

With the UFC middleweight division in flux — Sean Strickland dethroned, Du Plessis rising, and Israel Adesanya looming again – the Abu Dhabi Showdown could shape the next contender. International betting trends give Whittaker a slight edge, but De Ridder’s unbeaten UFC streak gives him all the momentum.

A knight rises

De Ridder isn’t chasing hype. He’s hoping to build a legacy.

From a kid grinding on combat sports mats in the Netherlands to double-gold in ONE Championship… from UAE Warriors to UFC headliner… from therapist to technician… his path has been well thought out.

And now that he’s back in a city that helped shape him, De Ridder has a chance to etch his name into UFC history, with Whittaker as the final test before the title.

“It really depends on how this fight goes,” he said, steady as ever. “But I’m ready for that shot. I’m ready to show the world. If I can finish him spectacularly, then I think I really have something to say about a title shot.”

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