Australian Robert Whittaker named the fighter who, in the middleweight division, could defeat the current champion Khamzat Chimaev. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he separately noted that this bout is being eagerly awaited not only by fans but also by experts. According to related reports from The Guardian, he expressed these thoughts on the eve of the next UFC night — after which broad discussions began on social networks, bloodyelbow.com reported.
Until now, the toughest opponent for the Chechen master Khamzat has been Gilbert Burns, because Chimaev had difficulty wrestling with a jiu-jitsu master. Robert Whittaker, recalling this experience, also spoke about the strengths of Chimaev, “an undefeated tiger.” He said that in the fight with Gilbert Burns, Khamzat approached the opponent’s ground-based suffocating style cautiously, and therefore his advantage diminished. Therefore, according to Whittaker, whoever comes out against him with a suitable fighting style will have a great chance.
He said: “I think Reinier de Ridder has a good chance of winning the bout against Chimaev. The Dutchman trains in grappling, he is tall, and he knows quite a bit about jiu-jitsu.” Whittaker said: “de Ridder is a very tall fighter and a jiu-jitsu specialist who likes to work on the ground; he spends a lot of time there and throws unexpected strikes. If Khamzat respects his actions on the ground, exchanges a few blows, the unusual attacks and strikes of de Ridder can cause Chimaev a lot of headaches.” With these words, he gave a more detailed explanation of his opinion: at the moment, de Ridder has defeated all his opponents in the UFC, posting a 4–0 record.
Indeed, Reinier de Ridder has been astonishing specialists with his high-level victories lately. According to The Independent, in the July event “UFC Abu Dhabi,” he defeated Robert Whittaker by a very narrow margin — 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 — earning his fourth win in the UFC. This Dutch fighter has captured titles in two weight classes in the ONE organization and in the UFC has scored early wins over Bo Nickal and Gerald Meerschaert. Thanks to his tall stature and the power of his knee strikes, he drains the energy of his opponents like sugar dissolving in milk — in the fight with Whittaker, he reduced all his opportunities by delivering knee strikes to the body.
At the same time, it should not be forgotten that Khamzat Chimaev’s professional MMA record is 15-0. In the last fight, he forced Drics Du Plessis to submit with very strong attacks in the final round and was recognized as the new champion. Robert Whittaker said that he was astonished by Chimaev’s “25-minute violent rhythm” and called it “mind-blowing.” But he did not deny: “The closest fight for Chimaev was shown by Gilbert Burns; I think de Ridder, with his advantage on the ground, can create even more difficulty.”
Joe Rogan also sensed which way the wind was blowing, pointing to de Ridder as an “interesting” opponent. In his opinion, the Dutchman’s control on the ground and his frequent straight knee strikes will create unfamiliar discomforts for Khamzat.
Khamzat Chimaev won the championship belt on August 16 in the fight against Drics Du Plessis. Reinier de Ridder or Nassourdine Imavov is being considered as the next opponent. In turn, de Ridder is watching this bout from his perspective and is ready to remain a “dark horse” if necessary. While Whittaker has left his former fighting field, he continues live broadcasts with interesting opinions for the team and UFC fans. For everyone else, the only thing left to do is wait to see who will become the next holder of the UFC medal, asking this mysterious question.
In conclusion, it can be said that the analysis by the Australian veteran, based on his fights with Chimaev and de Ridder, clarifies how stylistic games can determine champions. His words emphasize that even undefeated fighters can meet serious challenges when martial arts and clever strategies come into play. Fighters, energetic youngsters, and insiders in the UFC world are closely watching the fights, eagerly awaiting what sensations will begin in the next big fights.
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