UFC Abu Dhabi: Whittaker vs. De Ridder Best Bets and Predictions
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David Manyun
- July 24, 2025
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the octagon with an absolute banger of a fight card, live from the Middle East!
Petr Yan, Marcus McGhee, Shara Magomedov, and Marc-Andre Barriault are involved in two excellent clashes of styles, and I’m seeing some serious UFC betting value up for grabs.
Let’s waste no more time and dive right into my favourite UFC Abu Dhabi best bets analysis and predictions.
UFC Abu Dhabi Event Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, July 26, 2025 – 12:00 PM ET
- Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Scheduled Fights: 13
- Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder (UFC Middleweight Title Bout)
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee
UFC Abu Dhabi Bantamweight Main Card Bout
Yan vs. McGhee Fighter Breakdown
Petr Yan
Former bantamweight champ Petr Yan returns to the cage this weekend following back-to-back wins over Deiveson Figueiredo and Yadong Song. However, we’re still confused by the matchmaking as the UFC has pitted him against an untested and unproven Marcus McGhee, who’s nine bantamweight ranking positions below the Russian.
Sure, Yan might not be suitable to jump into a title opportunity, but to go from the expectation of fighting Umar Nurmagomedov or a rematch with Sean O’Malley to being paired with McGhee is somewhat of an insult. The question is: Will he prove that the 135lb newcomer isn’t on his level?
- Yan Pro MMA Record: 18-5
- Yan KOs: 7
- Yan Submissions: 1
Marcus McGhee
Michigan’s own Marcus McGhee has run through the competition in his four UFC appearances to date. I understand the UFC’s desire to fast-track the undefeated knockout artist because he’s 35, but this huge jump in competition, considering his lack of elite experience, has the potential to backfire like many ranking fast-tracks of the past.
- McGhee Pro MMA Record: 10-1
- McGhee KOs: 8
- McGhee Submissions: 1
Yan vs. McGhee: Fight Tape Analysis
McGhee displayed his grappling ability with a rear-naked choke in his UFC debut back in 2023, and he’s since delivered two knockouts and a recent decision victory over Jonathan Martinez. He seemingly has all boxes checked as a martial artist, but the problem is that he’s unproven versus the elite of the division.
Come Saturday, we’ll finally know if McGhee has what it takes to hang around with the bantamweight’s finest, but honestly, this matchmaking doesn’t favour him from a stylistic standpoint.
Yes, the knockout power of McGhee is always live to upset his opposition. Still, Yan, with the durability of concrete that’s seen him avoid KO/TKO defeats in 100% of his 23 pro-MMA bouts and a striking skill set that’s earned him the reputation as one of the most technical in the division, is viable to present some serious problems for this unbeaten UFC record.
UFC Abu Dhabi Betting Odds & Picks
The UFC odds place Yan as a huge betting favorite, and although I didn’t expect anything different, -400 does feel slightly steep.
Fear not, Yan backers like myself can utilise the prop market because if anything stands out between these two fighters, it would be their durability. With the technical striking skills and ability to mix up his grappling, Yan is no stranger to winning by decision, and combined with the underdog’s solid chin, give me the favorite to win on the scorecards at -150 (1.5u returns 1u profit).
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
UFC Abu Dhabi Middleweight Main Card Bout
Magomedov vs. Barriault Fighter Breakdown
Shara Magomedov
Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov had all the hype and was arguably one win shy of being considered as a new challenger for the middleweight title. Unfortunately, Michael ‘Venom’ Page matched the Russian’s impressive striking, and now he’s 4-1 in the UFC, looking to bounce back into the win column this weekend.
- Magomedov Pro MMA Record: 15-1
- Magomedov KOs: 12
- Magomedov Submissions: 0
Marc-Andre Barriault
The UFC matchmakers must know what they’re doing here because the competition levels have dropped significantly. No disrespect to Marc-Andre Barriault, but he feels like a complete gift for the Bullet, who’s notably competing in the friendly territory of Abu Dhabi!
Barriault, 35, might have notched a KO/TKO win last time out, but he’s 6-8 in the UFC with 3 of his last 4 outings resulting in defeat. Moreover, 50% of his UFC losses (4) were by KO/TKO or submission.
- Barriault Pro MMA Record: 17-9
- Barriault KOs: 11
- Barriault Submissions: 1
Magomedov vs. Barriault: Fight Tape Analysis
Barriault, despite his technical insufficiencies, is a true fighter and won’t hold back from going to war with anyone! Unfortunately for him, speed and durability aren’t his strong suits, and this could be a recipe for disaster for a striker like Shara Bullet, who is looking for stagnant targets to unleash his varied striking offence on.
As previously mentioned, I think the UFC matchmakers know precisely what they’re doing by matching Shara with Barriault. The latter doesn’t have the reactional timing or durability to match many ranked middleweights, and it seems like the Russian favorite might be a stylistic nightmare who can join the list of seasoned strikers that can crack that chin.
UFC Abu Dhabi Odds & Prediction
The UFC pricing places Magomedov as the betting favorite, but the thought of Barriault going the distance versus a credited knockout artist doesn’t sit right.
Avoid the juice and back Magomedov to win by KO/TKO. The price, sitting at -145 (1.45 returns 1u profit), still holds a small amount of juice, but it’s a lot easier to sip than the widely lined moneyline UFC odds.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
