This past Saturday in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, we saw a big time matchup in the middleweight division. Former champion Robert Whittaker (26-9) was taking on the surging top contender and former ONE champion Reinier De Ridder (21-2).

De Ridder's Abu Dhabi victory was as close as it gets. Roughly half of all fans and media members scored it for Whittaker. Regardless, the result is in, and 'RDR' is a new challenger in the 185-pound division. This means accepting trash talk from his contemporaries.

Reinier de Ridder secured the biggest win of his Octagon career at UFC Abu Dhabi, narrowly securing a hard-fought split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.