Reinier de Ridder has officially entered the world of the middleweight elite after a grueling battle against Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi.

The latest UFC Fight Night event was held in Abu Dhabi and was headlined by a middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Reinier De Ridder.

It was a grueling and competitive fight, but de Ridder felt comfortable in winning three out of the five rounds they competed in. He was confident all three judges would agree with him, however, only two judges did,

Reinier de Ridder secured the biggest win of his Octagon career at UFC Abu Dhabi, narrowly securing a hard-fought split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.

A middleweight clash with title implications headlines UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker and former two-division ONE Championship king Reinier de Ridder fight weeks before a 185-pound title fight at UFC 319.

UFC on ABC 9 took place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon, with former champion Robert Whittaker facing Reiner de Ridder in the main event.

In the main event on July 26, Reinier de Ridder defeated Robert Whittaker to continue his undefeated run since signing to the UFC last year. It may not have been the statement performance that de Ridder was looking for, with some fans believing that Whittaker deserved the win, but it was still a huge result for the Dutchman.

SportsLine's Daniel Vithlani reveals his picks for the UFC Fight Night fight card from Etihad Arena at Yas Island in Yas West United Arab Emirates on Saturday

On Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi, de Ridder shares a card with another former ONE fighter when Marcus Buchecha makes his octagon debut after he endured a similarly frustrating run there. While he certainly doesn't wish anybody ill will,