Reinier de Ridder picked up the biggest win of his career on Saturday when he took a hard-fought split decision over former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Fight Night from Abu Dhabi.

UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder solidified himself as a legitimate title contender in defeating Robert Whittaker by split decision at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The main event in Abu Dhabi features a ranked middleweight matchup between Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder. Coming from a traditional martial arts base, Whittaker has developed into one of the more unique striking stylists at 185 pounds.