The Robert Whittaker next fight sees the former UFC middleweight king take on Reinier de Ridder in a compelling 185-pound contest on July 26.
Having lost in Round 1 at UFC 308 to Khamzat Chimaev, ‘The Reaper’ has another rebuilding job to do if he wants to earn another shot at the UFC Middleweight Title. Beating de Ridder in his next fight is a must to begin his climb back to the summit.
Robert Whittaker Next Fight: Who Is ‘The Reaper’ Fighting Next & When Will It Be?
When it comes to the 185-pound division in the UFC, Robert Whittaker is a seasoned veteran. Although just 33-years-old, ‘The Reaper’ has had 18 fights at middleweight in the UFC over a period of 12 years.
Robert Whittaker’s record currently stands at 26-8. This consists of 10 knockout victories, five submissions and 11 wins via decision. The New Zealand MMA phenom is of course the former king at 185-pounds in the UFC too.
Bar the top three or four fighters at 185-pounds, ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is without a doubt one of the most skilled fighters at middleweight. MMA fans last saw Robert Whittaker in action at UFC 308, losing in Round 1 to the animal that is Khamzat Chimaev.
UFC President Dana White has gone on record several times admitting how much of a fan of Whittaker he is. ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is indeed coming again, but his next fight is another tricky contest against the finish machine that is Reinier de Ridder.
In regards to Robert Whittaker’s next fight, ‘The Reaper’ will indeed face 20-2 middleweight contender de Ridder on July 26 as they headline a UFC Fight Night card in Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena.
The Dutch fighter has only had three fights in the UFC, winning all via stoppage. This includes a submission victory over Kevin Holland as well as a TKO win last time out against Bo Nickal in what was a statement victory.
Robert Whittaker’s next fight against de Ridder is simply a must-win, or else it could be retirement for the Australasian MMA star.
He aims to get back to winning ways in his next fight on July 26 against Reinier de Ridder in a 50/50 middleweight clash.
Could Whittaker’s Next Fight After De Ridder See One More Shot At Winning Back The UFC Middleweight Title?
With the Robert Whittaker next fight confirmed for July 26 against Reinier de Ridder, this means there could be UFC Middleweight Title implications going forward in 2026 and beyond.
Whittaker’s opponent de Ridder could be in line for a shot at the 185-pound belt if he is to beat ‘The Reaper’, given how impressive he has looked in his short yet incredibly successful UFC career to date.
If the New Zealander can win this fight and derail the Reinier de Ridder hype-train, then he could well be in line for one final shot at becoming a two-time UFC middleweight king.
The problem facing Whittaker, who’s net worth has hit $4m, is the fact that he was stopped by both Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis, both of whom are the outright top two 185-pound fighters on the UFC roster right now.
That being said, if he can beat de Ridder and maybe add another big win to his impressive resumé after that, then ‘Bobby Knuckles’ may well have one final chance at claiming UFC gold for a second time.
If he wins on July 26th and then beats someone like Nassourdine Imavov or Caio Borralho, Robert Whittaker’s next fight after Reinier de Ridder could well be for the 185-pound belt.
Dricus du Plessis’ next fight against Khamzat Chimaev is his third UFC Middleweight Title defence, and if he wins that and Whittaker adds another couple of wins to his record, then a rematch could be on later in 2026.
Lets hope that Robert Whittaker’s next fight is one that sees him get back in the win column before one last assault on the top end of the middleweight division.
