Results
Main Card Results | UFC Abu Dhabi
See The Fight Results, Watch Post-Fight Interviews With The Main Card Winners And More From UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs De Ridder, Live From Etihad Arena In Abu Dhabi On July 26
UFC, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), returns to the UAE capital with an epic middleweight fight as No. 5 ranked Robert Whittaker takes on rising star Reinier de Ridder on Saturday July 26, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
Following an entertaining set of preliminary card fights, Saturday’s action at Etihad Arena shifted to the main card and shifted to another gear, as the five-fight main card delivered non-stop action.
Bogdan Guskov kicked things off by collecting his fourth straight stoppage win by putting away Nikita Krylov in the opening round. That was followed by a pair of competitive, back-and-forth battles, where Asu Almabayev and Shara Magomedov each got themselves back into the win column before former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan secured a third consecutive decision win by methodically distancing himself from Marcus McGhee.
In the middleweight main event, Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder closed out the show with a hard-fought, competitive five-round encounter that left both men spent and the crowd appreciative of the effort they put forth.
Check out all the recaps below to find out what transpired inside the Octagon in Abu Dhabi.
UFC Abu Dhabi Results, Fight Recaps & Backstage Interviews:
Main Event: Reinier de Ridder (48-47, 48-47) defeats Robert Whittaker (48-47) by split decision
The highly anticipated main event clash between Reinier de Ridder and Robert Whittaker was a captivating contest with serious swings in momentum that showed that both men are serious threats at the top of the middleweight division.
Each of the first three rounds had periods where both men had success, with the third trending in de Ridder’s favor until Whittaker landed a massive overhand right that dropped the Dutch standout.
Reinier de Ridder Octagon Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Reinier de Ridder Octagon Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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The size and range of de Ridder seemed to be a challenge for Whittaker, but as he’s done throughout his career, the former champion worked to make adjustments and find ways to have success, with the two men continuing to exchange and battle through to the final horn.
As they stood exhausted in the center of the Octagon following the 25-minute affair, it was de Ridder that emerged victorious, landing on the happy side of the split decision verdict to collect his third win of the year and fourth victory since arriving in the UFC last November. It’s been an amazing ascent for “The Dutch Knight,” who just might be next in line for a championship opportunity after edging out Whittaker on Saturday. | Prelim Results | Scorecards
Co-Main Event: Petr Yan defeats Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision (29-28,29-28, 29-28)
Petr Yan showed his class in the co-main event, working to pick apart and defeat a game Marcus McGhee.
The former interim and undisputed champion warmed into the bout as he typically does, working behind clean, technical striking and his trademark trips to get the better of the exchanges with the MMA Lab representative.
Petr Yan Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Petr Yan Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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As the fight continued to progress, Yan continued to widen his advantage, maintaining his pressure and effectiveness as McGhee began to wane just a little.
It was a clean sweep of the scorecards for the highly-ranked Russian, who has now won three straight to further cement his standing as one of the top contenders in the division. With the next title fight for Merab Dvalishvili recently announced, it will be interesting to see what comes next for Yan after another strong performance here. | Prelim Results | Scorecards
Shara Magomedov defeats Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
The middleweight clash between Shara Magomedov and Marc-Andre Barriault turned into a back-and-forth battle where blood was slipped on both sides and the crowd at Etihad Arena was thoroughly entertained.
Magomedov got the better of things in a relatively pedestrian opening round, but just as it seemed like he was pulling away in the second, Barriault connected with a right hand that wobbled “The Pirate” and blew up his nose, before Magomedov responded with good offense of his own in the final moments of the frame.
Shara Magomedov Octagon Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Shara Magomedov Octagon Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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In the third, Magomedov worked behind his range attacks, using his movement to keep the French-Canadian at bay for much of the frame before opening up down the stretch and seemingly salting away a return to the win column.
That was indeed the case, as all three judges saw the fight in favor of the Russian striker. It was an entertaining bounce-back win for the popular middleweight, who moved to 5-1 in the UFC and 16-1 overall with the win. | Prelim Results | Scorecards
Asu Almabayev defeats Jose Ochoa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
The flyweight clash between Asu Almabayev and Jose Ochoa was a tale of two fights that shifted based on where the action was taking place.
On the feet, Ochoa was the more successful and effective of the two, landing the cleaner, more powerful blows throughout.
Asu Almabayev Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Asu Almabayev Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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But Almabayev did well with his wrestling, dragging Ochoa to the canvas multiple times, occasionally landing from top position or working to the back, though the youngster from Peru did well to defend and find offense of his own in several of those spots.
They went the distance, leaving the verdict in the hands of the judges, and when their scores were gathered and tallied, it was Almabayev that came out ahead. This was a competitive clash for the Top 10 flyweight and a good win, as well as a strong showing for the Chute Boxe Diego Lima product.
Bogdan Guskov defeats Nikita Krylov by TKO (strikes) at 4:18 of Round 1
Bogdan Guskov waited for his opportunity to strike, and when he did, he made sure to secure the biggest win of his career.
Guskov looked to counter for much of his clash with Nikita Krylov, baiting the veteran forward with low hands, his right hand cocked and ready.
Bogdan Guskov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Bogdan Guskov Post-Fight Interview | UFC Abu Dhabi
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Late in the first, Krylov closed the distance and Guskov timed things perfectly, landing a clean right hand down the pipe that put the Top 15 staple on the canvas, allowing the surging light heavyweight to pound out the finish.
That’s now four straight for the native of Uzbekistan, who has earned finishes in each of those contests. The 32-year-old will likely be elevated into the Top 10 following this impressive outing, and should get another opportunity to fight someone ahead of him in the rankings again next time out. | Prelim Results | Scorecards
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs De Ridder took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 26, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!