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Sat, Jan 17, 2026 | Rajab 28, 1447 | Fajr 05:45 | DXB 
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Abu Dhabi: Meet Robert Whittaker, UFC star and the perfect family man
Undeterred by the last defeat in Abu Dhabi, the veteran Australian is preparing for ‘war’ against 'The Dutch Knight' Reinier de Ridder at Etihad Arena on July 26
On July 26, Robert Whittaker will walk into Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena and fight 'The Dutch Knight'. It’s the same venue where he last fell short — submitted by 'The Wolf' in UFC named Khamzat Chimaev, with a crowd roaring against him.
But when we ask Whittaker if returning to this octagon, under these lights, triggers anything —bitterness, or even motivation — he barely blinks.
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“No, not at all,” he says on a Zoom video call. “I didn’t really pay too much attention to the crowd. I’m there for business. And honestly, I look forward to going back there. I love fighting in Abu Dhabi. And that's kind of why I always jump at the opportunity to fight there when I can get it.”
If that sounds clinical, it’s because Whittaker has stripped the sport down to its essence: one man, one goal. “There’s only one guy out there that’s trying to beat me up,” he adds.
But don’t mistake his composure for complacency. The Robert Whittaker fighting Reinier de Ridder on July 26 in the capital is a sharpened, self-aware veteran — one who’s tasted gold, lost it, rebuilt, and now sees the end in sight.
Whittaker doesn’t dance around the inevitable. At 34, he knows he’s closer to the finish than the start.
“In my head, there are three or four fights left,” he says. “Every win pushes me in the direction I want to go, closer to that strap. That’s where I want to finish things off.”
He says it plainly, like a man who’s mapped out the last leg of a journey that’s spanned over a decade and some of the toughest names in the game — Yoel Romero (twice), Jared Cannonier, Darren Till, Kelvin Gastelum. Even his losses, especially to Israel Adesanya (February 2022) and Chimaev (October 2024), have been foundational.
“Every loss, I’ve come back better than ever. The last one was just another version of that. I think I’m going to keep getting better and pushing towards the peak version of myself until I hang the gloves up.”
That “evolution” mindset is classic Whittaker. He’s not chasing clout, not trying to recreate past glory. He’s planning ahead, closing in on what's next.
Fighting De Ridder
Whittaker’s opponent, Reinier de Ridder, is no tune-up. The former ONE Championship double champion is among the best grapplers to enter the UFC in recent memory. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, he's rangy, left-handed, and ruthless on the mat. He's yet to suffer a loss in the UFC and has already fought twice this year, winning against Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal.
“He’s quite well-rounded,” Whittaker says. “He’s a southpaw. He’s tall and reachy. So I’m working within those parameters, making sure I’ve ticked all the boxes.”
That's exactly the reason why he took this fight. He understands De Ridder is high calibre. He knows the fight would be a good test.
The fight is being sold as a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, but Whittaker isn’t leaning into that narrative. To him, a fight is a fight. Experience has taught him that you don’t prepare for a style, you prepare for a war.
“If he wants to shoot, he can shoot. If he wants to grapple, he can grapple. If he wants to strike, he can strike. I want to be ready for everything. And I want to be able to give it to him for 25 minutes.”
If anything, these were clinical words aimed straight at The Dutch Knight.
Legacy and fatherhood
Ask Whittaker what still drives him, and he doesn’t hesitate: it’s not legacy, not even revenge, it’s his family.
“My biggest drive is my kids and my family. This is what I do to provide for them. So I’m pretty motivated to do what I do well.”
He smiles when he talks about his kids, especially the fact that they’re largely unimpressed by his day job.
“My kids don’t know what I do half the time,” he laughs.
That humility extends beyond family. In a sport that thrives on trash talk and self-hype, Whittaker stands out for being grounded. Rooted. Real.
“I try to be a stand-up bloke. I know a lot of young kids and a lot of blokes out there look up to me. I feel a responsibility not to make a fool of myself and to lead by example.”
How does he stay so calm in a sport built on chaos? Simple: “A good wife will keep you grounded,” he says. “And surrounding yourself with good people.”
Gamer and dad
Away from the gym, Whittaker is a gamer at heart. His current go-to? A gritty indie fantasy RPG called Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon.
“It’s an adventure game—pretty good, a lot of fun,” he says. “My son actually just got me Castle Craft. I didn’t think much of it, but now I’m kind of addicted to it.”
So we ask him — if this upcoming fight were an in-game boss battle, how would he describe it?
“Oh mate, I’ve got to be prepared for a war. I’ve got to be prepared for him to just drag it out 25 minutes and just keep coming. I’m doing everything in my power to be ready for that.”
Eyes on the strap
With Khamzat now the #1 contender in the Middleweight division, Whittaker knows that a rematch could be down the line. But he’s not looking past De Ridder. Not for a second.
“I’ve got a list of rematches I’ve got to get through one day,” he says. “But right now, the only person in my sights is De Ridder.”
July 26 might not be for a title, but it’s for something just as meaningful: control of the endgame. A win puts Whittaker right back into the contender conversation — and closer to the “fairy tale finish”, or the UFC gold placed right behind him in the video call. As he puts it, "It's a good background ornament."
Husain Rizvi
Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.
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