UFC Abu Dhabi: Robert Whittaker returns against Reinier de Ridder after squeamish injury

Whittaker is a former UFC middleweight champion who has won 17 of his 23 fights since joining the promotion in 2012.

He is currently fifth in the UFC’s middleweight rankings, demonstrating sporting longevity at the top which is matched by few.

Although Whittaker says regaining the title – which he lost to Israel Adesanya in 2019 and is now held by Du Plessis – remains a goal, it his not his biggest driver any more.

“I’ve got nothing to prove, there’s just things that I’m working for. I’m leading by example for my kids and any other athlete that wants to look up to me,” says Whittaker.

“I’ve been in the game so long, what drives me to be better and push as hard as I do, is the kids.”

De Ridder is fighting in only his fourth UFC bout after joining the organisation last year.

He is 34 like Whittaker, but has spent much of his career in fellow MMA promotion One Championship, where he is a former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion.

“De Ridder is going to be looking to pressure me and take me down to the ground and make me uncomfortable,” said Whittaker.

“I want to get my hands on him and hope for a quick one but I’ve been training for a 25-minute slugfest.”