UFC Abu Dhabi results: Matches to make for ‘Whittaker vs. de Ridder’ main card winners

UFC Abu Dhabi went down yesterday (Sat., July 26, 2025) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which saw Reinier de Ridder defeat Robert Whittaker via split decision after five, back-and-forth grueling rounds. In the co-main event, Petr Yan defeated rising contender, Marcus McGhee, via unanimous decision in a competitive Bantamweight bout (recap). while Shara Magomedov returned to the win column with a victory over Marc-Andre Barriault.

Winner: Reinier de Ridder

Who He Should Face Next: Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page winner

Despite securing a huge win over Whittaker to improve to 4-0 inside the Octagon, a title shot will not be next for “RDR,” who still has to wait for Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho to throw down later this year to see who will likely get his shot against the winner of Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis. There are a lot of moving pieces at the moment at the Top of the division, and de Ridder is stuck in tough position since he is ranked No. 13 and just beat the No. 5 ranked fighter in the weight class. That said, I think a fight against the winner of the upcoming bout between Cannonier and Page, which is set to go down at UFC 319 next month could be in order. A win over either of those men could put de Ridder in the Top 5 guaranteed, and perhaps even into a shot at the strap.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Winner: Petr Yan

Who He Should Face Next: Merab vs. Sandhagen winner

With a third straight win under his belt, Yan secure his position as the next contender for the 135-pound title, which will be defended by division king, Merab Dvalishvili, against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. Merab defeated Yan via unanimous decision in March 2023, so it’s a fight “No Mercy” would love to get back. Currently ranked No. 3, there is no one more deserving than the Russian striker.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Winner: Shara Magomedov

Who He Should Face Next: Rodolfo Vieira vs Tresean Gore winner

It wasn’t easy by any means, but Shara “Bullet” was able to get back into the win column with a hard-earned victory over Marc-Andre Barriault. His win will likely not be enough to put him into the Top 15 just yet, as he still has plenty work to do because it’s not like he dominated his foe. For now, perhaps a fight and victory over the winner of the upcoming bout between Vieira vs. Gore will get him a bit closer. The two men are set to collide next week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Magomedov was definitely on the rise before Michael Page took his “O,” so he needs to get back to dominant wins in order to climb the ladder.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Winner: Asu Almabayev

Who He Should Face Next: Ramazan Temirov

Following a tough loss to Manel Kape in his last outing that snapped his 17-fight win streak, Almabayev was able to earn a trip back on the winner’s podium with a unanimous decision win over Jose Ochoa. Almabayev was initially slated to face Temirov on this card before failing a pre-fight drug test. I still would like to see the promotion re-book this fight since all signs point to Temirov not intentionally ingesting a banned substance (details here), though cases like this are always up for debate. It remains to be seen how long Temirov will be sidelined, but this is a fight I would still love to see down the road.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Winner: Bogdan Guskov

Who He Should Face Next: Dominick Reyes

Guskov locked down his fourth straight win by defeating Nikita Krylov, putting him at 4-1 for his UFC career. A spot in the Top 10 could be looming following his big win, and so could a fight against Reyes, who is currently enjoying a three-fight win streak. Indeed, Reyes is enjoying a career resurrection of sorts, turning it around by winning three in a row following a four-fight losing streak. The winner of this fight could make a strong case to get into the Top 5.

For complete UFC Abu Dhabi results, coverage and highlights click HERE.