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ESPN Staff Writer- Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
The UFC will host its first of two 2025 fight cards in Abu Dhabi this weekend, as Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder headline UFC Fight Night in Etihad Arena on Saturday (3 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN+, with prelims at noon on ESPN/ESPN+).
Whittaker, a former UFC middleweight champion, is ranked No. 6 in ESPN's divisional rankings. He suffered a first-round submission loss against Khamzat Chimaev in his last Octagon appearance at UFC 308 in October.
De Ridder, unranked by ESPN, is a former two-division champion in One Championship. De Ridder is undefeated since making his UFC debut at a UFC Fight Night last November. He has finished all three of his UFC opponents.
ESPN MMA analysts and commentators provide their main event predictions, and ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight on the best value bets on the fight card.
We're not quite sure where de Ridder fits in at the highest level, and Whittaker thrives on turning back younger guys from the top of the division. He's just a better martial artist in this case. De Ridder is a better grappler, but I'm unsure whether he can take Whittaker down and hold him there. De Ridder is coming off a win over Bo Nickal, but as good as Nickal has looked, to escalate from that matchup to a top fighter such as Robert Whittaker is crazy. -- Anthony Smith
De Ridder has plenty of experience he can tap into. This won't be too big of a moment for him -- fighting a five-round main event against one of the best middleweights in UFC history. De Ridder's forward and annoying pressure, as well as his length, will wear on Whittaker and force him to make mistakes. Once Whittaker does that, de Ridder is an unforgiving fighter who doesn't allow you to recover. -- Din Thomas
Betting analysis
Odds accurate as of publication. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET.
Parker: Whittaker to win (-150). De Ridder is getting his toughest test to date in the former champ. Whittaker is coming off a devastating loss to Chimaev. Can he bounce back?
I believe he will get the win here over the rising contender. De Ridder's size and grappling ability are his biggest threats. On the feet, his striking is less than desirable, and the level of competition he has fought thus far doesn't compare to what Whittaker has faced. Additionally, Whittaker has more experience fighting in the championship rounds. De Ridder has had only one professional fight extend beyond Round 3, and we have seen him fade as the fight goes on. Look for Whittaker to stop the early takedown attempts of de Ridder and keep the fight standing, where he gets the win by knockout or decision.
Parker's best bets on the rest of the card
Men's flyweight: Asu Almabayev vs. Jose Ochoa
Ochoa to win (-110). I'm taking Ochoa in what should be a fun and fast-paced matchup. Ocha recently showed his creative, high-level striking and his finishing power at this weight class. Ochoa just needs to stop takedown attempts from Almabayev. If he does that, this fight is his to win. In his last fight, Almabayev had zero success getting Manel Kape to the ground, forcing him into essentially a kickboxing fight. As a result, he was TKO'd in Round 3. The blueprint to beat Almabayev is there, and I believe Ochoa follows it to get the win.
Light heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov
Krylov to win (-185). This is a big step up in competition for Guskov after his recent win over Billy Elekana. Guskov is a skilled striker, but I expect him to be put on his back within the first two minutes of this fight. Krylov, an established UFC veteran, was on a nice winning streak until losing to Dominick Reyes in his last outing.
Expect Krylov to wrestle and grapple to take away the knockout power of Guskov. Although Krylov is the better striker, his biggest advantage is when the fight hits the mat. He would be crazy not to get it there as soon as possible.
Light heavyweight: Ibo Aslan vs. Billy Elekana
Aslan to win by KO/TKO. Sitting as a nearly 2-to-1 favorite, Alsan looks to get back in the win column against Elekana. Aslan still needs to improve his ground game and submission defense. Fortunately, Elekana is not a wrestler. This fight will likely stay on the feet, and Aslan should land early and often. Elekana is coming off a bad loss in his UFC debut, and I don't see this matchup going much differently.