Robert Whittaker’s highly anticipated return to the UFC ended in disappointment as he suffered a split decision loss to Reinier de Ridder early Sunday morning (AEST). The 34-year-old fighter was looking to rebound after facing a tough submission defeat against Khamzat Chimaev last year, which left him sidelined for over nine months due to a serious tooth injury.
Despite giving up significant height and reach to the Dutch fighter, Whittaker appeared unfazed at the start, showcasing his striking skills by causing damage to de Ridder, including a cut above the eye. However, the tide shifted in the second round when de Ridder landed a powerful knee that stunned the Australian and took the fight to the ground, leveraging his size advantage to control Whittaker.
As the third round progressed, Whittaker displayed resilience, stunning de Ridder with a massive overhand right and almost securing a finish on the ground. Commentary by Michael Bisping highlighted how close Whittaker came to ending the fight, stating, “Robert was seconds away from finishing that fight – it looked like de Ridder was in a world of trouble.”
The bout entered the fourth round with both fighters visibly fatigued; de Ridder continued to trouble Whittaker with knee strikes. As the final round approached, it was de Ridder who managed to eke out a narrow victory, with the judges scoring the bout 48-47, 47-48, and 48-47 in his favour.
In his post-fight comments, Whittaker expressed his disappointment, feeling he performed well enough to secure the win, saying, “I thought I ticked all the boxes. He walked away the winner, good on him.” This defeat complicates Whittaker’s aspirations for a triumphant return to the octagon, as he has now lost three out of his last five fights, including matches against current champion Dricus du Plessis and top contender Chimaev.