Robert Whittaker reveals ultimate goal for UFC Abu Dhabi fight against Reinier de Ridder

Robert Whittaker knows the stakes of his middleweight bout against Reinier de Ridder on Saturday.

Many fans were pleasantly surprised when Whittaker vs. de Ridder was first announced. While de Ridder is the No. 12-ranked UFC middleweight, many believe his accomplishments in ONE Championship along with his performance against Bo Nickal warranted top five competition.

Now, Whittaker is hoping to shut down de Ridder’s hopes of ascending to the top of the 185-pound ladder.

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Robert Whittaker’s Goal for UFC Abu Dhabi

During an interview with MMAJunkie.com, Robert Whittaker discussed Reinier de Ridder’s strengths and why he welcomes the challenge.

“He’s very good at taking the fight where you’re uncomfortable,” Whittaker said. “He’s got a particular set of skills and a particular game plan that, if he executes well, he gives you a lot of problems. Bo found that out the hard way. I’m looking to be first and take the game where I’m strong. …

“I love being aggressive. I’m a striker by heart, so I want to try and get my mitts on him.”

Ultimately, the former UFC Middleweight Champion has one goal in mind on Saturday.

“I want to bounce back,” said Whittaker, who hasn’t lost two fights in a row since his welterweight days in 2013-2014. “After losing, I’ve always gotten better and come back with a win. It’s important for me to do that again to move toward the direction I want to go, which is that title.”

Whittaker will maintain his place in the top five middleweight rankings if he can get past de Ridder in Abu Dhabi. If not, then he’ll be further away from the UFC title picture than he has in quite some time. “The Reaper” is hoping to keep racking up wins and have a “fairytale ending” before riding off into the sunset.