This article was originally published on www.si.com/fannation/mma as UFC bogeyman flattened Robert Whittaker’s teeth with savage choke. Robert Whittaker returns from one of the most devastating losses of his career when he steps in the Octagon this weekend at UFC Abu Dhabi.

U ltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just over 24 hours away from the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down this Sat. (July 26, 2025)

Prior to his loss to Khamzat Chimaev in October, Whittaker crushed Ikram Aliskerkov in 109 seconds in June 2024. The victory was the second-quickest of his UFC tenure and was the headliner of the promotion's first trip to Saudi Arabia.

Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder compete in a pivotal middleweight clash weeks before Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev fight for the middleweight title. In the aftermath of UFC 318, the mixed martial arts promotion heads to Abu Dhabi.