The first of two octagon stops in Abu Dhabi this year goes down Saturday with UFC on ABC 9, which takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island with a main card on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) headlines the card in a five-round showdown with former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder (19-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC).
For more on the numbers behind the matchup and card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC on ABC 9.
Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder
Robert Whittaker
Whittaker is the only New Zealand-born fighter in history to win a UFC championship.
Whittaker is one of 15 undisputed middleweight champions in UFC history.
Whittaker is 14-4 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in November 2014.
Whittaker’s 14 victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Michael Bisping (16) and Brad Tavares (16).
Whittaker’s nine fight-night bonuses for UFC middleweight bouts are second-most in divisional history behind Anderson Silva (12).
Reinier de Ridder
De Ridder is a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder at light heavyweight and middleweight.
De Ridder has earned 18 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his UFC wins.
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee
Petr Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) became the first fighter in UFC history to lose a title by disqualification against Sterling at UFC 259.
Yan is one of two fighters in UFC history to hold the interim and undisputed bantamweight titles. Renan Barao also accomplished the feat.
Yan’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Marlon Vera and Cody Garbrandt for second-most in divisional history behind Montel Jackson (11).
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
Shara Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC 308.
Magomed land 62.4 percent of his significant strikes in UFC middleweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Anthony Hernandez (63.4 percent).
Marc-Andre Barriault’s (17-9 MMA, 6-8 UFC) victory at the 4:56 mark of Round 3 at UFC 260 marked the second latest stoppage in UFC middleweight history behind Garreth McLellan (4:58, Round 3) at UFC Fight Night 76.
Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov
Nikita Krylov (29-9 MMA, 11-8 UFC)is 4-5 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September 2018.
Krylov is 13-7 since he dropped to the light heavyweight division in March 2014.
Krylov has earned 27 of his 29 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 22 of those wins in Round 1.
Bogdan Guskov (17-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned all 17 of his career victories by stoppage.
Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Bryce Mitchell (17-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) drops to the UFC bantamweight division after spending his previous 11 octagon appearances at featherweight.
Mitchell is 2-3 in his past five fights after starting his career 15-0.
Mitchell is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a Twister submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 7. Chan Sung Jung and Da’Mon Blackshear also won with the technique.
Muslim Salikhov vs. Carlos Leal
Muslim Salikhov (21-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is the only fighter in UFC history to earn multiple knockouts stemming from a spinning wheel kick. There’s been 15 overall finishes in the company with the technique.
Davey Grant vs. Da’Mon Blackshear
Davey Grant (15-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn a submission by inverted triangle choke. Cole Miller, Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Jordan Leavitt also accomplished the feat.
Da’Mon Blackshear (17-7-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by Twister. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 51. Bryce Mitchell and Chan Sung Jung have also won with the technique.
Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci
Amanda Ribas (12-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) defends 65 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC strawweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Danielle Taylor (71.7 percent) and Gillian Robertson (66.1 percent).
Ribas defends 83.3 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC strawweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Jinh Yu Frey (90.3 percent).
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
