Overview

• UFC will stage its first of two 2025 cards at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on July 26 as part of its Middle East expansion.
• Preliminary bouts begin at noon ET on ESPN, ESPN+ and Disney+, with the main card airing at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+ and Disney+.
• Robert Whittaker arrives off a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev and says he still views himself as a realistic title contender late in his career.
• Reinier de Ridder brings a 3–0 UFC record and former two-division ONE Championship titles into his promotional debut and aims to extend his unbeaten streak.
• BetOnline lists Whittaker as a –150 favorite and de Ridder as a +130 underdog, and the winner is expected to reshape the middleweight title picture.