UFC Saudi Arabia really lived up to expectations as it gave us some exciting fights and stellar performances. For Reinier de Ridder, he got the main event rub for the first time, and guess what? The Dutchman shone against a decorated UFC veteran in Robert Whittaker, who seems to be stuck in a tough predicament. ‘The Reaper’ racked up another loss on the trot as de Ridder picked up a split decision victory.

Despite his enthusiasm for fighting in the Middle East, Robert Whittaker’s record in the region now stands at 1-2 following his recent loss to Reinier de Ridder. The former ONE double champion really brought the heat against Robert Whittaker, delivering an incredible performance that had fans on the edge of their seats. It was a true ‘Fight of the Night’ contender that showcased the best of both fighters. The Dutchman is eyeing a title shot, and it’s clear that Whittaker faced a tough challenge that he just couldn’t conquer. It’s a hard moment for him to digest.

The crowd was certainly not happy as Reinier de Ridder was treated with some boos from the crowd. Meanwhile, Robert Whittaker remained humble in defeat and even gave his opponent a smile when de Ridder praised him for giving him a tough challenge. But it was clear that the loss did not sit well with ‘The Reaper’ as he was visibly dejected after the fight. Michael Bisping, who was there to take the post-fight interview, decided to console the former champion and cut the interview short.

“I’m pretty butthurt, to be honest… He did what he said he was gonna do. I thought I had ticked all the boxes, but the pressure was a lot… He has a lot of skill sets,” Robert Whittaker said. Nevertheless, the Aussie star put up a great fight, and Michael Bisping gave him a pat on the back for that one, saying, “You should be proud of yourself, Rob.”

Well, we’ll have to wait and see what’s next for Robert Whittaker, but in the meantime, Reinier de Ridder has opened up on his title ambitions too. And guess what? He does not want to wait for too long. Here’s what he had to say.

Reinier de Ridder calls for title shot after win over Robert Whittaker

When Robert Whittaker was paired up with Reinier de Ridder, many fans felt as if it was a downgrade for ‘The Reaper’, since he had been fighting top contenders. The Dutchman is a relative newcomer in the UFC, but his performance proved that he deserves to be fighting the very best in Dana White’s promotion. With a win over a former champion now, de Ridder has called for the UFC to give him a title shot in his next fight.

“I wanna finish the guy in the first round. It will be much better. So maybe [the winner of] Khamzat-Dricus next,” said Reinier de Ridder in his post-fight interview. “Let’s go! Give me a chance to fight for the strap.” Well, beating a former champion has certainly brought him into the conversation about a future title shot, but it may not come to fruition anytime soon.

Whittaker really turned it up in the later rounds, but De Ridder was in control during the middle, using his top position and landing some solid kneesAfter this win, De Ridder called directly for a title shot against current champion Dricus Du Plessis, whose next defence is against Khamzat Chimaev in August. Including that scheduling context helps set expectations: the Triad of Du Plessis, Chimaev, and potentially De Ridder is forming at 185 lbs. Also notable: Whittaker has expressed interest in rematching Du Plessis to “correct” that loss from UFC 290

After all, Caio Borralho and Nassourdine Imavov are also waiting for their title shot, as they’re scheduled to face in a few weeks. The winner may be the one to face the champion after the UFC 319 headliner. While the middleweight division is getting interesting, Robert Whittaker’s run is going through a rough patch. Do you think he’ll get back stronger in his next fight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.