Attention-Grabbing Headlines
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De Ridder Silences Etihad Arena, Stays Unbeaten in the UFC!
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Guskov Needs Just 4 Minutes to Flatten Krylov – Heavyweight Hype Incoming!
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Yan Back on Track: Third Straight Win, Eyes Bantamweight Gold
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Salikhov Lands 3rd-Fastest KO of His Career, Snags $50K Bonus
Rapid Event Recap
UFC on ABC 9 delivered in Abu Dhabi. Dutch grappling ace Reinier de Ridder edged ex-champ Robert Whittaker via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) to move to 4-0 in the Octagon. The card also saw Petr Yan resurrect his bantamweight run, a vicious first-round KO from Bogdan Guskov against Nikita Krylov, and a three-round war between Sharabutdin Magomedov and Marc-André Barriault that scooped Fight of the Night.
Main-Card Results
| Division | Match-up | Official Result |
|---|---|---|
| Middleweight | Reinier de Ridder def. Robert Whittaker | Split Dec 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 |
| Bantamweight | Petr Yan def. Marcus McGhee | Unanimous Dec 29-28 × 3 |
| Middleweight | Sharabutdin Magomedov def. Marc-André Barriault | Unanimous Dec 30-27 × 3 |
| Flyweight | Asu Almabayev def. Jose Ochoa | Unanimous Dec 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 |
| Light Heavyweight | Bogdan Guskov def. Nikita Krylov | KO (punches) – R1 4:18 |
Preliminary Highlights
| Division | Bout | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bantamweight | Bryce Mitchell def. Said Nurmagomedov | Unanimous Dec 29-28 × 3 |
| Welterweight | Muslim Salikhov def. Carlos Leal | KO – R1 0:42 |
| Bantamweight | Davey Grant def. Da’Mon Blackshear | Unanimous Dec |
| Strawweight | Tabatha Ricci def. Amanda Ribas | TKO – R2 2:59 |
| Heavyweight | Martin Buday def. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida | Unanimous Dec |
$50,000 Bonus Winners
| Award | Fighters |
|---|---|
| Fight of the Night | Sharabutdin Magomedov vs Marc-André Barriault |
| Performance of the Night | Muslim Salikhov • Steven Nguyen |
Three Must-Know Takeaways
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“Whittaker vs De Ridder result” – Huge upset puts the Dutchman one win away from a title shot.
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“Guskov KO Krylov” – Fourth straight finish; a Top-5 matchup could be next.
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“UFC Abu Dhabi bonuses” – Magomedov-Barriault steals FOTN; Salikhov logs a lightning KO.
What’s Next?
| Fighter | Logical Next Fight | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | Winner of Cannonier vs Michael Page (UFC 319) | Fast track to title eliminator. |
| Robert Whittaker | Bounce-back vs Marvin Vettori or Derek Brunson | Keeps him in Top-5 mix. |
| Petr Yan | Called out winner of Dvalishvili vs Sandhagen (UFC 320) | Clear path back to the belt. |
| Bogdan Guskov | Top-5 clash with Dominick Reyes | KO streak demands elite test. |
| Tabatha Ricci | Strawweight Top-10 bout vs Virna Jandiroba or Angela Hill | Sets up future contender status. |
Final Word
UFC Abu Dhabi served surprise decisions, flash KOs, and one of 2025’s most debated scorecards. With De Ridder undefeated and Yan reborn, divisional rankings are in flux—expect fireworks as the season rolls toward autumn.
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