"I don't want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough, de Ridder said in a post-fight interview on Saturday. I expected to take him down. He was so tough, so durable. Heavy f****** hands."
"De Ridder landed 169 in total, compared with 100 for Whittaker, according to official UFC statistics."
"When the final bell sounded, the split decision reflected the closeness of the contest."
"I want to finish a guy in the first round, so maybe it would be better if I fought Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dr."
Reinier de Ridder won a hard-fought split decision against Robert Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi, marking the biggest victory of his career. The fight took place at Etihad Arena, where de Ridder overcame a knockdown from Whittaker in the third round. Despite this setback, de Ridder secured the win with a total of 169 strikes compared to Whittaker's 100. The judges scored the contest closely, reflecting the competitive nature of the match. Following the bout, de Ridder expressed his desire for a title shot against the winner of the upcoming middleweight championship fight.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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