{{short description|Mixed martial arts event in 2025}} {{Infobox MMA event |name= UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder |image= UFC_on_ABC_9_poster.jpg |promotion= Ultimate Fighting Championship |date= {{start date|2025|07|26}} |venue= Etihad Arena |city= Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |attendance= Not announced<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2025/07/27/ufc-on-abc-9-post-event-facts-new-single-fight-knockdown-record/85386017007/|title=UFC on ABC 9 post-event facts: A new single-fight knockdown record|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Mike Bohn|date=2025-07-27|access-date=2025-07-27}}</ref> |gate= |previousevent= UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 |followingevent= UFC on ESPN: Taira vs. Park }}
'''''UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder''''' (also known as '''''UFC on ABC 9''''') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 26, 2025, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.<ref name="AbuDhabi">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/ufc/article/ufc-announces-return-to-abu-dhabi-for-fight-night-event-in-july/|title=UFC announces return to Abu Dhabi for Fight Night event in July|publisher=sportsnet.ca|author=Staff|date=2025-03-20|access-date=2025-03-20}}</ref>
==Background== The event marked the promotion's 21st visit to Abu Dhabi and first since UFC 308 in October 2024.<ref name="AbuDhabi" />
A middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight Champion (also The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes welterweight winner) Robert Whittaker and former ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Reinier de Ridder headlined the event.<ref name="ME">{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2025/05/10/ufc-abu-dhabi-robert-whittaker-vs-reinier-de-ridder-main-event/83549612007/|title=Former champ Robert Whittaker returns for UFC Abu Dhabi headliner vs. Reinier de Ridder|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Matthew Wells|date=2025-03-20|access-date=2025-03-20}}</ref>
A featherweight bout between Movsar Evloev and promotional newcomer Aaron Pico was scheduled to take place in a five round co-headliner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2025/06/18/ufc-aaron-pico-vs-movsar-evloev-booked-abu-dhabi-fight-night/83603448007/|title=Aaron Pico gets unbeaten Movsar Evloev for UFC debut in Abu Dhabi|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Staff|date=2025-06-18|access-date=2025-06-18}}</ref> They were briefly expected to meet at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales in May, but it did not come to fruition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2025/04/aaron-pico-ufc-debut-fight-almost-movsar-evloev|title=Now signed to UFC, Aaron Pico reveals just how close he came to fighting Movsar Evloev|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn|date=2025-04-09|access-date=2025-04-09}}</ref> In turn, under two weeks prior to this event, Evloev had to withdraw due to an injury and the pairing was scrapped.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloodyelbow.com/2025/07/14/ufc-abu-dhabi-takes-huge-hit-as-co-main-event-number-one-contender-fight-is-cancelled/|title=UFC Abu Dhabi takes huge hit as co-main event number one contender fight is cancelled|publisher=bloodyelbow.com|author=Jamie Theodosi|date=2025-07-14|access-date=2025-07-14}}</ref>
A women's strawweight bout between Amanda Ribas and Tabatha Ricci took place at this event.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Change! Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci fight moved to UFC Abu Dhabi|url=https://agfight.com/ufc/mudanca-luta-entre-amanda-ribas-e-tabatha-ricci-e-transferida-para-o-ufc-abu-dhabi/|date=2025-06-04|access-date=2025-06-04|publisher=agfight.com|author=Neri Fung}} {{in lang|pt-br}}</ref> The bout was originally scheduled for UFC 318 one week before but was moved to this event for unknown reasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2025/5/6/24425047/fight-news-amanda-ribas-vs-tabatha-ricci-added-to-ufc-318-in-new-orleans|title=Fight news! Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci added to UFC 318 in New Orleans|publisher=mmamania.com|author=Alexander Behunin|date=2025-05-06|access-date=2025-05-06}}</ref>
Asu Almabayev and Ramazan Temirov were expected to face each other in a flyweight bout on the preliminary card.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=sherdog.com|title=UFC Abu Dhabi adds Asu Almabayev vs. Ramazonbek Temirov at flyweight|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Adds-Asu-Almabayev-vs-Ramazonbek-Temirov-at-Flyweight-196885|date=2025-05-08|access-date=2025-05-08|author=Jay Pettry}}</ref> However, Temirov pulled out due to failing a drug test in early July and was replaced by Jose Ochoa.<ref name="OchoaIn">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2025/7/8/24464088/festering-wound-triggers-failed-drug-test-bounces-flyweight-prospect-ramazan-temirov-ufc-abu-dhabi|title=Festering wound triggers failed drug test, bounces top Flyweight prospect from UFC Abu Dhabi - 'It was my mistake'|publisher=mmamania.com|author=Alexander Behunin|date=2025-07-08|access-date=2025-07-08}}</ref>
==Results== {{MMAevent}} {{MMAevent card|Main card (ABC / ESPN+)}} {{MMAevent bout |Middleweight |Reinier de Ridder |def. |Robert Whittaker |Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 48–47) |5 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Bantamweight |Petr Yan |def. |Marcus McGhee |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Middleweight |Sharabutdin Magomedov |def. |Marc-André Barriault |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Flyweight |Asu Almabayev |def. |José Ochoa |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Light Heavyweight |Bogdan Guskov |def. |Nikita Krylov |KO (punches) |1 |4:18 | }} {{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)|header=no}} {{MMAevent bout |Bantamweight |Bryce Mitchell |def. |Said Nurmagomedov |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Welterweight |Muslim Salikhov |def. |Carlos Leal Miranda |KO (punch) |1 |0:42 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Bantamweight |Davey Grant |def. |Da'Mon Blackshear |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Women's Strawweight |Tabatha Ricci |def. |Amanda Ribas |TKO (elbow and punches) |2 |2:59 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Light Heavyweight |Billy Elekana |def. |İbo Aslan |Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Featherweight |Steven Nguyen |def. |Mohammad Yahya |TKO (eye injury) |2 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent bout |Heavyweight |Martin Buday |def. |Marcus Buchecha |Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) |3 |5:00 | }} {{MMAevent end|notes=yes}} <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-fight-night-july-26-2025|title=UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder|publisher=Ultimate Fighting Championship|access-date=2025-05-10}}</ref>
== Bonus awards == The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc-abu-dhabi/ufc-abu-dhabi-bonus-report-muslim-salikhov-one-of-four-potn-winners/|title=UFC Abu Dhabi Bonus Report: Muslim Salikhov one of four POTN winners|publisher=bjpenn.com|author=Chris Taylor|date=2025-07-26|access-date=2025-07-26}}</ref> *'''Fight of the Night: Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Marc-André Barriault''' *'''Performance of the Night: Muslim Salikhov''' and '''Steven Nguyen'''
== See also == {{Portal|Martial Arts}} *2025 in UFC *List of current UFC fighters *List of UFC events
== References == {{reflist}}
{{UFC Events}} {{2025 in mixed martial arts}}
Category:2025 in UFC Category:July 2025 sports events in the United Arab Emirates Whittaker vs. de Ridder Category:Mixed martial arts events in Abu Dhabi Category:2020s in sport in Abu Dhabi