Fifth-ranked Robert Whittaker looks to get back into the win column when he takes on 13th-ranked Reinier De Ridder in a middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder on Saturday. The main card from Etihad Arena at Yas Island in Yas West United Arab Emirates is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET. Whittaker lost his last match by submission at 3:34 of the first round to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 on Oct. 26, 2024. De Ridder, meanwhile, earned a knockout win over Bo Nickal on May 3.
Whittaker enters as the favorite at -155 (risk $155 to win $100), while De Ridder is the underdog at +130 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Peter Yan is the -375 favorite against Marcus McGhee (+295) in a bantamweight bout. Before locking in any UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly-analytical UFC bettor who has been a consistent winner for SportsLine members since making his debut in January 2023 with a 5-0 record for UFC 283. In fact, he’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card sports betting picks. His other highlights include calling an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card, and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections on Dustin Poirier (+190) against Benoit Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130).
Now, Vithlani has studied Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder from every angle and revealed his top betting picks and best bets. Head to SportsLine to see them. If you’re wanting to make picks, also be sure to see the latest DraftKings promo code, FanDuel promo code and BetMGM promo code.
Whittaker vs. De Ridder preview
Whittaker, 34, is a one-time interim UFC middleweight champion and a one-time UFC middleweight title holder. He was the first Australian and New Zealand-born UFC champion. He is a five-time Fight of the Night and four-time Performance of the Night winner. He was also the 2018 GQ Australia Sportsman of the Year.
Whittaker began his professional career in Perth, Australia, in March 2009. He joined UFC three years later, defeating Brad Scott by unanimous decision at UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson on Dec. 15, 2012. In 34 career matches, he is 26-8. He has 10 wins by knockout, five by submission and 11 by decision. Check out SportsLine to see his picks and analysis.
De Ridder, 34, began his professional career in 2013. He is a one-time ONE middleweight and one-time ONE light heavyweight world champion. As a member of ONE Championship, he earned Performance of the Night twice, Submission of the Night once and Fight of the Night once. He was the third double champion in ONE history.
He joined UFC in 2024, and is a one-time Performance of the Night winner. In 22 professional bouts, he has compiled a 20-2 overall record. After a two-match losing streak, he has won four consecutive matches. He has five wins by knockout, 13 by submission and two by decision. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder predictions
We’ll reveal one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder selections here: Tabitha Ricci (+154) to defeat Amanda Ribas (-185) in a women’s strawweight matchup on the preliminary card.
“This is a tough matchup to call,” Vithlani told SportsLine. “Both Ribas and Ricci are coming off of losses and have similar tools in their MMA arsenal. Ricci is a highly skilled grappler and an improved kickboxer. She throws low kicks in high volume, shoots takedowns and constantly stays busy. Ribas is the bigger fighter and will be dropping back down to strawweight (115) for this bout. Her size and strength could help her fend off or reverse Ricci’s grappling attack. Ribas is a rhythm striker who can land a diverse mix of strikes when she finds her flow. However, Ribas is tough to trust as a betting favorite, considering she hasn’t beaten a noteworthy opponent since Viviane Araujo two years ago. This fight has the potential to be close, so I’ll lean towards the underdog.” See who else to back here. You can also get $150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet $5 at DraftKings.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder main fight card, odds
Vithlani has strong picks for Whittaker vs. De Ridder and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder card. He’s also backing a veteran fighter who “is too smart and too savvy for his opponent” to pull off a massive victory. He’s sharing who it is only at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who is up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and find out.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder main fight card, odds
See picks at SportsLine.
(Odds subject to change)
Robert Whittaker (-155) vs. Reinier De Ridder (+130)
Peter Yan (-375) vs. Marcus McGhee (+295)
Shara Magomedov (-650) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (+470)
Asu Almabayev (-115) vs. Jose Ochoa (-105)
Nikita Krylov (-198) vs. Bogdan Guskov (+164)