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Prediction, pick for Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder

Prediction, pick for Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder

DraftKings Network

Published:

By: Ryan Wohl

This week’s UFC Main Event features a highly anticipated Middleweight bout between former king, Robert Whittaker, vs. Reiner de Ridder. Will Whittaker bounce back, or can de Ridder prove to be the next top contender at 185 pounds in the UFC?

Here is my best bet for Whittaker vs. De Ridder in the Main Event of Saturday’s Main Event.

Reinier de Ridder Moneyline (+136)

De Ridder has been on an excellent run since entering the UFC in 2024. He has gone 3-0 with three finishes in that span and now has an opportunity to test his skills against a former champion. De Ridder last beat Bo Nickal, who, although he was a top prospect at the time, is not nearly as big a challenge as Whittaker is. Whittaker has lost to three fighters in the last decade, with two being champions (Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis), and Khamzat Chimaev is soon to challenge for the title.

Regardless of the level of competition from de Ridder’s opponents in the UFC, he has demonstrated a versatile skill set that presents challenges for everyone in the middleweight division. As surprising as this may sound, Whittaker is actually a good matchup for the former ONE Champion. What do the three opponents that previously beat Whittaker have in common? They are all taller with a larger reach advantage. De Ridder’s checks both of those boxes as he is four inches taller (6’4″ vs. 6’0″) with a five-inch more significant standing reach (78″ vs. 73″).

On DraftKings Sportsbook, de Ridder is a +136 underdog while Whittaker is a -162 favorite.

Obviously, de Ridder’s UFC sample size is significantly smaller than Whittaker’s, but he still compares well. De Ridder lands significant strikes at a 60 percent rate while only absorbing 2.21 per minute. Also on the ground, de Ridders averages 4.74 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Even though Whittaker has a ton of experience, he has gone 3-3 in his last six contests and has failed to beat top contenders in the past. De Ridder isn’t ranked in the UFC’s top 10 in the middleweight division, but he is worthy of a higher ranking than his current position.

Ryan Wohl

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.