UFC Abu Dhabi predictions: Full card picks for all 12 fights on fight night

The UFC heads to the Middle East once again, this time to Abu Dhabi inside Etihad Arena for a massive fight card. 

Fresh off the back of an awesome pay-per-view card, fans can put their credit cards away and enjoy some free TV on ABC, beginning at 3 p.m. ET Saturday. 

Twelve fights are on the docket, with eight of them projected to end inside the distance, according to oddsmakers. 

Last week was our best betting week of the year thus far, nailing a +880 bet and a +425 wager and nearly sweeping the main card. 

The insane 5-1 showing on the main card last week profited 18.1 units and nabbed us an insane ROI of 301.67 percent. You don’t get that every week, but that might be a career best for me. 

UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi predictions

Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder 

Whittaker might not get back into the title picture with a win, but they’re certainly feeding him to a young lion as he faces former ONE Championship fighter Reinier de Ridder. 

De Ridder comes in as a +140 underdog Saturday night and is coming off a surprising win over a hyped middleweight prospect in Bo Nickal. 

In that fight, de Ridder was a +300 underdog and looked like a -1000 favorite. 

Do we think that this was a case of de Ridder taking advantage of an overhyped prospect? Or was Nickal a worthy opponent that de Ridder proved to be too much for? 

It’s a tough question to answer, but given everything we know, de Ridder is a strong grappler who will have a towering size advantage in the octagon. 

This fight reminds me of when Whittaker fought Dricus du Plessis, a bigger, stronger athlete, where he could have a sneaky edge in the grappling department. 

For this fight, we’re targeting Over 2.5 rounds. Whittaker is a superstar, but not a worthy bet at this price, and would need to get closer to even for me to consider him. 

Pick: Over 2.5 rounds (-125, BetMGM). 

Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee 

Another legend heads into a tough matchup with an underdog as McGhee jumps into the octagon with Yan. 

Yan, a former bantamweight champion currently No. 3 in the world in the division, per Tapology, deserves some credit for accepting this fight against the No. 12 fighter in the division. 

This fight is three rounds, not five, a detail that is critical for Yan. 

You’ll remember that Yan lost his fight to striker Sean O’Malley, which was a three-round bout. Yan’s best asset is his cardio, so if he’s able to tire his opponent (McGhee has never been five rounds), he will likely come out with a victory. 

McGhee getting this fight as a three-rounder is a big opportunity for him. 

The 35-year-old bantamweight is looking to get into the title picture, and I like this matchup for him. He’s an athletic striker with some ground game chops as well. Take a chance on the underdog in this fight, at least pre-fight. 

Feel free to look for a Yan live entry during round two if he looks sluggish early. He’s a notoriously slow starter, so there’s certainly an opportunity to get his price reduced early on in this five-round bout. 

Pick: McGhee moneyline (+300, Caesars). 

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Rest of the card 

Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault: Over 1.5 rounds (-160, FanDuel). 

Asu Almabayev vs. Jose Ochoa: Almabayev Over 27.5 significant strikes (-121); Ochoa Over 46.5 significant strikes (-121, Underdog Fantasy). 

Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov: Over 1.5 rounds (+125, Fanatics Sportsbook). 

Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov: Mitchell by submission (+500, DraftKings). 

Muslim Salikhov vs. Carlos Leal: Pass. 

Davey Grant vs. Da’Mon Blackshear: Blackshear by submission (+210, ESPN BET). 

Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci: Ribas by KO/TKO (22/1, Bet365). 

Ibo Aslan vs. Billy Elekana: Over 1.5 rounds (+100, ESPN BET). 

Mohammad Yahya vs. Steven Nguyen: Pass. 

Martin Buday vs. Marcus Buchecha: Buday moneyline (+220, BetMGM).