{"id":19337,"date":"2025-07-24T01:18:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T01:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/19337\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T01:18:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T01:18:09","slug":"ufc-on-abc-9s-amazing-main-card-saturday-in-abu-dhabi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/19337\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC On ABC 9’s Amazing Main Card Saturday In Abu Dhabi"},"content":{"rendered":"

UFC on ABC 9 fight week continues. This coming Saturday afternoon (USA time), Dana White\u2019s<\/a> promotion touches down in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for the second edition of UFC Fight Night on the ABC Television Network in as many months.<\/p>\n

Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi serves as the setting for an MMA matinee if you\u2019re watching in North America this weekend. Action kicks off from the UAE with the prelims<\/a> beginning at 12 noon ET\/ 9 am PT on ESPN (linear television) and ESPN+<\/a> (streaming media.)<\/p>\n

The main card, our focus here today, kicks off at just past 3 pm ET\/ noon PT. As the title of the card suggests, the back-end of UFC on ABC 9 is available via your local ABC station. If there are no changes to the schedule<\/a> ahead of showtime on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, this show will feature 12 MMA bouts from the No. 1 promotion in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Reinier<\/a>May 3, 2025, Nashville, Tennessee, USA: UFC FIGHT NIGHT SANDHAGEN VS FIGUEIREDO DES MOINES, IA-MAY 3: R-L Reinier de RIDDER kicks Bo Nickal in a Middleweight bout during the UFC FIGHT NIGHT event at Wells Fargo Arena on MAY 3, 2025 in DES MOINES, IA Nashville USA \u2013 ZUMAHT S 20250503_zsp_r187_068 Copyright: xJustinxRenfroex
\nUFC on ABC 9 Main Event: No. 5 Contender Robert Whittaker vs. No. 13 Contender Reinier de Ridder<\/p>\n

At the top of the bill<\/a> on Saturday night, the middleweights take to the Octagon when No. 5 contender Robert Whittaker<\/a> (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) meets up with No. 13 contender, former ONE Championship stalwart Reinier de Ridder<\/a> (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the latter\u2019s initial UFC main event.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As with all UFC main events, Saturday\u2019s headliner at UFC on ABC 9 is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close out the night\u2019s activities. Whittaker will be making his 24th walk to the fabled Octagon this weekend having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights.<\/p>\n

Most recently, he was on the losing end of a face crank submission from Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) last October during UFC 308 from the selfsame Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Earlier this week, Whittaker was a guest of The Ariel Helwani Show<\/a>, where he said that he\u2019s eyeing one final shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship before permanently hanging up his gloves.<\/p>\n

\u201cRealistically, I only want to fight for a couple more years,\u201d he told Helwani. \u201cThere\u2019s other things I want to do still. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I understand it is my last big push, the last sprint, the last 100 meters of the race.\u201d<\/p>\n

His opponent in UFC on ABC 9\u2019s main event is a tough customer at the shop, because across the way, Reinier de Ridder, the former ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight MMA Champion, has gone 4-1 in his last five fights.<\/p>\n

At the moment, he\u2019s on a four-fight winning streak dating back to July of last year. On May 2, he traveled to Des Moines, IA to meet Bo Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), scoring a second-round knockout with a body shot.<\/p>\n

RDR has done well for himself since leaving ONE Championship in early 2024. The UFC on ABC 9 main event could be his ticket to a spot in the top-10 at 185 lbs if he gets his hand raised in victory here.<\/p>\n

UFC on ABC 9 Co-Main Event: No. 3 Contender Petr Yan vs. No. 12 Contender Marcus McGhee<\/p>\n

Immediately prior to Whittaker battling de Ridder in the UFC on ABC 9 main event, the co-main event of the evening shifts to the bantamweight division for a contest between No. 3 contender Petr Yan<\/a> (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and No. 13 contender Marcus McGhee.<\/a> This co-main event will be a three-round affair at five minutes per round.<\/p>\n

Yan will be making the walk in Abu Dhabi this Saturday night having gone 2-3 in his last five fights. He\u2019s on the upswing of late, having emerged victorious from his last two fights. Last time out, he defeated Deiveson Figuereido (24-5-1 MMA, 13-5-1 UFC) by way of unanimous decision after three rounds of action during UFC Macau in November.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that this is a crucial fight for Petr Yan and his camp in UFC on ABC 9\u2019s co-main event. Should he get his hand raised in victory here, his next appearance could be a title fight.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Marcus McGhee enters Abu Dhabi with a perfect 5-0 record over his past five fights as part of an ongoing six-fight winning streak. Back in November, McGhee set foot inside The World\u2019s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, besting Jonathan Martinez (19-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) via unanimous decision during UFC 309.<\/p>\n

When a fighter is on a hot streak, as Marcus McGhee is right now, he\u2019s at his most dangerous. Petr Yan shouldn\u2019t take McGhee lightly heading into UFC on ABC 9 on Saturday night. One punch could put McGhee in the top-10 at 135 lbs.<\/p>\n

UFC on ABC 9: Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault<\/p>\n

Also on the main card, you\u2019ll be seeing a middleweight contest pairing Shara Magomedov<\/a> (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) against Marc-Andre Barriault<\/a> (17-9, 1 NC MMA, 6-8, 1 NC UFC.) Magomedov has gone 4-1 over the course of his last five fights.<\/p>\n

On Feb. 1, he saw a 15-fight winning streak to begin his career snapped via unanimous decision at the hands of MVP, Michael \u201cVenom\u201d Page (23-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to that loss, the only thing that stopped Shara Magomedov was a pair of postponed fights that were scheduled for last year.<\/p>\n

Coming in off of a defeat is a new experience for him, so how will Shara Magomedov bounce back when the cage door closes on Saturday night?<\/p>\n

In the other corner, Marc-Andre Barriault has posted a record of 2-3 in his last five contests. Two months ago, he got back to the win column thanks to a first-round knockout (elbows inside the clinch) over Bruno Silva (23-13 MMA, 4-7 UFC) during UFC 315.<\/p>\n

Barriault is facing a quick turnaround going into UFC on ABC 9 on Saturday evening. By the time the fight begins, just 77 days will have elapsed between fights. Will the short hiatus be helpful or a hindrance?<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/p>\n

Which fight or fights are you looking forward to on the UFC on ABC 9 main card? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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