On To the Next One | What's Next For Reinier de Ridder After UFC Abu Dhabi?

Reinier de Ridder and Robert Whittaker are now heading in two very different directions in the UFC's middleweight division following de Ridder's split decision win in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi this past Saturday. Is de Ridder now in line to fight for the UFC title, and is Whittaker out of the championship picture at 185 for good? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to this past weekend's headliner and what could be next for both de Ridder and Whittaker in the fallout. Additionally, topics include referes Jason Herzog's non-stoppage in the controversial Steven Nguyen vs. Mohammad Yahya fight at UFC Abu Dhabi, the UFC's return to the APEX this Saturday for UFC Vegas 108 headlined by Tatsuro Taira vs. Hyun Sung Park, news and notes for this past week including Aaron Pico's new matchup against Lerone Murphy at UFC 319, Dan Hooker ripping the UFC over tickets, Tom Aspinall taking shots at Michael Chandler, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and José Youngs. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The UFC is heading back to the APEX. This Saturday, UFC Vegas 108 goes down in the world’s mightiest APEX and with it comes a matchup of elite flyweight prospects. In the main event, Tatsuro Taira takes on Road to UFC champion Hyun Sung Park in a short-notice replacement fight that figures to be a darn good scrap, and No Bets Barred is here to break it all down. This week, host Jed Meshew flies solo to break down UFC Vegas 108, giving his thoughts on the main event matchup, Park’s chances as he steps in for Amir Albazi on short notice, Mateusz Rebecki vs. Chris Duncan in the co-main event, Rinya Nakamura’s shot at rebounding from his first career defeat, the all-action featherweight scrap between Danny Silva and Kevin Vallejos, the sad end and new beginning of The Climb, and more. Tune in for episode 133 of No Bets Barred. Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to MMA Fighting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our full video catalog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Like MMA Fighting on Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss who has the most pressure on them in upcoming title fights including Tom Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane, Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira and Merab Dvalishvli vs. Cory Sandhagen. Plus we discuss Renanto Moicano turning down money from the UFC lawsuit and much more Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reinier de Ridder just picked up the biggest win of his career as he outlasted former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, winning a razor close split decision in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi to move to 4-0 in the UFC. Did "RDR" put himself in position to fight the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319? Following Saturday's Fight Night event, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee react to the card, de Ridder's victory over Whittaker, if the right fighter won, and discuss where the former ONE champion goes from here. Additionally, they discuss Petr Yan's win over Marcus McGhee, the bonus winners, Steven Nguyen breaking the UFC knockdowns record and Jason Herzog's performance as the referee in that fight, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The UFC octagon touches down in Abu Dhabi with a loaded fight night card headlined by former middleweight champion and fan favorite Robert Whittaker taking on dark horse contender Reinier de Ridder. Can Whittaker find his vintage form once again or will "The Dutch Knight" continue his unbeaten UFC run en route to a future title shot? UFC Abu Dhabi features an impressive lineup beyond the middleweight main event, including another former champion in action as Petr Yan takes on the surging Marcus McGhee and Shara Bullet looking to rebound from his first loss when he takes on veteran Marc-Andre Barriault. Ahead of Saturday afternoon's event, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and E. Casey Leydon preview the fight card, including what's at stake for Whittaker and de Ridder, who has the best chance to steal the show, how this card stacks up to some of the UFC's recent pay-per-view offerings, low-key bangers, fan questions, and more! Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices