Sean Zerillo said Robert Whittaker is worth a pre-fight play at any number up to -160 and an even stronger target for a live bet if the line improves after the first or second round. Zerillo expects Reinier de Ridder to use his length and grappling early, which could let the underdog steal the opening frame and force the market to shorten Whittaker. Over 25 minutes, though, Zerillo likes Whittaker’s deeper gas tank, superior minute-winning striking, and wider finishing paths. He pointed to De Ridder’s lone five-round outing in ONE Championship where the Dutchman was “completely exhausted” in Round 5, plus the fact that Whittaker’s recent struggles against Hamzat Chimaev and Dricus Du Plessis came from raw physicality that De Ridder may not be able to replicate for five rounds while cutting back to middleweight. Zerillo’s ideal script: let De Ridder control early, then hammer Whittaker at a cheaper live price to capitalize on the Australian’s late-fight cardio edge.

Matty Betss said he is siding with Robert "Bobby Knuckles" Whittaker in the prospective Whittaker-de Ridder matchup, projecting a knockout once the former champ finds his rhythm. Betss argued that "every guy who bullies De Ridder just absolutely bullies him," and Whittaker’s trademark forward pressure, combination punching, and scramble-heavy takedown defense should keep the fight upright. He conceded Reinier de Ridder’s 6'4" frame, clinch knees, and all-around grappling are legit, but stressed De Ridder must drag the bout to the mat and dominate top position—something Whittaker’s 85 % UFC takedown-defense rate and lateral movement historically deny. Whittaker has survived five-round wars with Yoel Romero and Israel Adesanya, while De Ridder has been wobbled whenever opponents refused to be backed up. With Whittaker’s experience edge, proven cardio, and the cumulative damage De Ridder absorbs when forced to retreat, Betss leans toward a R2-3 finish but is comfortable playing Whittaker KO/TKO at any plus-money number.

Bedtime MMA flipped from his early lean toward Reinier De Ridder and now projects Robert Whittaker to win 50-45 or 49-46. He worries about Whitaker’s first-round pace after the Dricus du Plessis loss, so allowed De Ridder a possible opening frame on clinch volume. Still, Bedtime argues De Ridder must grapple to succeed, lacks the explosive athleticism du Plessis used, and telegraphs outside-trip attempts Whitaker’s elite takedown defense can stuff. On the feet, Whitaker’s double-jab, burst entries and head-kick threat exploit De Ridder’s square pressure stance and “sus” striking defense. The tout envisions De Ridder chasing front-choke chains, fading by R3, while Whitaker keeps range, sprawls, and piles up damage with quick combinations. Because De Ridder will clinch whenever rocked, Bedtime expects the bout to hit the cards, making Whitaker money-line and decision props his recommended angles.

Sniper called the –150 moneyline on Robert Whittaker “the biggest recency-bias discount in months.” He compared Reinier de Ridder to a less frightening Yoel Romero and questioned whether the newcomer’s wrestling is anywhere near Khamzat Chimaev’s. Sniper expects Whittaker to stay on his bike, pump the jab and stuff single-leg and body-lock attempts, noting that Whittaker handled prime Romero in similar scenarios. If the fight remains standing, Whittaker owns the sharper metrics across strike differential, knock-down rate and championship-round cardio. Priced at $8,400 on DraftKings, Sniper views Whittaker as a high-floor, high-ceiling mid-range option for both cash and GPPs and is betting the line before it widens.

Dan Tom fired 2.5 units on Robert Whittaker at -140 and added a full unit on Whittaker by knockout at +180. He argued the KO line is mis-priced because Reinier de Ridder closes distance methodically rather than chaotically like Khamzat Chimaev, giving Whittaker time to set his angle-heavy combinations. Tom pointed to Whittaker’s perfect 6-0 record against UFC-caliber southpaws, his historical success stuffing single-shot takedowns, and the regulation-size cage in Abu Dhabi that further rewards Whitaker’s dart-in-dart-out footwork. De Ridder’s slower, ‘coffee-sipping’ entries leave him open to the same lead-hand counters that Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis landed—only de Ridder lacks their athleticism or punching power. Because Whitaker’s implants have solved the jaw issues that flared up in the Chimaev fight, Tom believes durability is no longer a concern and likes the KO prop as a hedge that still cashes if the Reaper wins by decision.

Michael Lurato backed Robert Whittaker, arguing that Reinier de Ridder has not proven himself against elite middleweights. Lurato dismissed the hype around de Ridder’s win streak, noting that his signature victories—over Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, and Gerald Meerschaert—came against an "unfinished project," a notoriously porous grappler, and a solid but still very beatable veteran. In contrast, Whittaker has fought and often beaten every style imaginable, giving him a massive experiential edge at the same age. Lurato believes de Ridder must repeatedly corner Whittaker, secure takedowns, and work submissions—tasks made harder in the larger Abu Dhabi cage and by Whittaker’s dart-in-dart-out movement. Because de Ridder is not especially fast or explosive, Lurato doubts he can bridge that gap often enough to win minutes, let alone find a finish. Until de Ridder shows he can beat this caliber of opponent, Lurato refuses to fade Whittaker and recommends betting the former champion at current odds.

Dan Tom said Robert Whittaker is still a bet at roughly -145 after opening as high as -180. He pointed out Whittaker’s perfect 6-0 record against UFC-level southpaws and reminded listeners that he has historically cashed as an underdog or short favorite in grappler-first match-ups. Tom acknowledged that switch-stance strikers like Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis clipped Whittaker with lead-side counters, but he stressed that Reinier de Ridder lacks their athleticism, footspeed, and striking power. The bout takes place in a regulation-size cage, which Tom believes favors Whittaker’s angle-heavy footwork and makes it harder for the slower, “plotty” de Ridder to close distance for takedowns. He also noted de Ridder’s best wins—Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, Gerald Meerschaert—are against unfinished or highly beatable opposition, whereas Whittaker has seen every style and traditionally stuffs one-shot takedown attempts. Tom framed the fight as a classic "y’all must have forgot" spot and is comfortable laying the current number on Whittaker.

TheWeasle predicted Robert Whittaker will finish Reinier de Ridder by third-round TKO. He conceded RDR’s advantages—significantly larger frame, superior pure jiu-jitsu and submission arsenal—but argued those edges mirror the pre-fight narrative that preceded Whittaker’s upset loss to Dricus Du Plessis and are being overstated again here. In his view, the matchup boils down to speed, defensive awareness and footwork. Whittaker’s lateral movement, jab-first approach and quick right-hand counters should shred RDR’s “gumpy, unathletic” striking, which TheWeasle called outright sloppy and nearly devoid of head-movement. RDR’s typical defence—simply raising a high guard or leaning straight back—allowed Anatoly Malykhin and Jarrah Al-Silawi to land clean, and Whittaker can replicate those angles. The critical swing factor is takedown defence: Whittaker historically stuffs 83 % of shots when opponents are not elite wrestlers like Khamzat Chimaev, and TheWeasle doubts RDR’s slower entries can overcome that barrier once the Australian circles laterally rather than backing straight up. If the first two rounds remain standing, cumulative jabs and overhands will swell the damage, and by Round 3 TheWeasle expects RDR’s absorption to become unsustainable, opening the door for a finishing combination. He believes the market underrates Whittaker—priced only a slight favourite despite clear striking superiority and proven five-round cardio—and recommends betting Whittaker money-line or TKO/KO Round 3 prop for added value.