Latest news with #Dolidze
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC on ESPN 72's Roman Dolidze aims to prove why he deserves 'at minimum top-5 fights'
Roman Dolidze thinks he deserves top-tier middleweight opponents. Gearing up for his third UFC main event, Dolidze (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will take on Anthony Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 72 at the UFC Apex on Aug. 9. As it currently stands, Dolidze sits one spot ahead of Hernandez (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at No. 8 in the promotion's official middleweight rankings, and he believes it's time for him and his opponent to crack into the elite of the division. Advertisement "I think we both deserve better fights, like at minimum top 5 fights," Dolidze told MMA Junkie Radio. "But it is how it is, we never step back. I'm ready for anything. Two months I was waiting, they were telling me about (Robert) Whittaker, but in the end, I'm fighting 'Fluffy.' But for me it doesn't mean nothing, I'm ready to go." Dolidze is currently on a three-fight winning streak, while Hernandez's current run totals seven. The level of competition has been stiffer on Dolidze's side. With the matchup against Hernandez, the Georgian acknowledges cardio could be the difference maker. "It's all about style – he loves to wrestle with guys," Dolidze said. "First couple of rounds, he's not so successful, but when everybody else is getting tired, he's still going. He's a very good athlete. He's a very good fighter, but I think on the ground, I have very good jiu-jitsu. I'm ready for anything on the ground. I'm not scared to grapple with him. That's why I don't think I have a lot of problems there." Should Dolidze pass the "Fluffy" test, perhaps he'll land that fight against former champion Whittaker. As a part of Georgia's big three in the UFC, along with champs Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili, Dolidze hopes to keep the bar very high as they proudly represent their nation, and as he works toward a title shot of his own. Advertisement "This fight, it's my third main event, and everybody knows I deserve better fights," Dolidze said. "But, I have this fight, and I will show everybody what I can do." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC's Roman Dolidze eager to challenge middleweight elite
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 72's Roman Dolidze aims to prove why he deserves 'at minimum top-5 fights'
Roman Dolidze thinks he deserves top-tier middleweight opponents. Gearing up for his third UFC main event, Dolidze (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will take on Anthony Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 72 at the UFC Apex on Aug. 9. As it currently stands, Dolidze sits one spot ahead of Hernandez (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at No. 8 in the promotion's official middleweight rankings, and he believes it's time for him and his opponent to crack into the elite of the division. "I think we both deserve better fights, like at minimum top 5 fights," Dolidze told MMA Junkie Radio. "But it is how it is, we never step back. I'm ready for anything. Two months I was waiting, they were telling me about (Robert) Whittaker, but in the end, I'm fighting 'Fluffy.' But for me it doesn't mean nothing, I'm ready to go." Dolidze is currently on a three-fight winning streak, while Hernandez's current run totals seven. The level of competition has been stiffer on Dolidze's side. With the matchup against Hernandez, the Georgian acknowledges cardio could be the difference maker. "It's all about style – he loves to wrestle with guys," Dolidze said. "First couple of rounds, he's not so successful, but when everybody else is getting tired, he's still going. He's a very good athlete. He's a very good fighter, but I think on the ground, I have very good jiu-jitsu. I'm ready for anything on the ground. I'm not scared to grapple with him. That's why I don't think I have a lot of problems there." Should Dolidze pass the "Fluffy" test, perhaps he'll land that fight against former champion Whittaker. As a part of Georgia's big three in the UFC, along with champs Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili, Dolidze hopes to keep the bar very high as they proudly represent their nation, and as he works toward a title shot of his own. "This fight, it's my third main event, and everybody knows I deserve better fights," Dolidze said. "But, I have this fight, and I will show everybody what I can do."
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
If UFC's Roman Dolidze can't fight Adesanya or Whittaker, there's a name\u00a0below he'd take
If UFC's Roman Dolidze can't fight Adesanya or Whittaker, there's a name below he'd take Middleweight standout has interest in rising wrestling standout On a three-fight winning streak, Roman Dolidze has some pretty lofty ideas about what should be next on his resume. But Dolidze also knows getting whom he most would like standing across from him could come down to timing. In the case of former middleweight champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, whom he's called out, that be the situation. Dolidze (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) told MMA Junkie Radio he would prefer to fight someone ahead of him in the rankings – naturally – and Adesanya or Whittaker wins on top of what he's already got could warrant a title shot. He'd almost rather just take what the UFC gives him instead of getting his hopes up. "I'm not saying a (specific) name because there are many guys who are on top of me (in the rankings)," Dolidze said. "There's Jared Cannonier, there's Caio Borralho. The one guy maybe I don't want to fight is Sean Strickland because we are training in the same gym." Cannonier and Borralho hold the two spots above his slot at 8 in the UFC's official rankings. Further up are Adesanya and Whittaker, Strickland, presumed next title challenger Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov — and champ Dricus Du Plessis. After three straight wins over former 205-pound title challenger Anthony Smith in a light heavyweight one-off, Kevin Holland and former middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori, Dolidze clearly wants another recognizable name. If he had to fight down, though, he'd consider it – and thinks late June for International Fight Week in Las Vegas would be a great time for it. "I always wanted to fight Bo Nickal," he said. "Smart-style wise? (I'd fight him) International Fight Week. But Roman-style wise? I can fight next week – no problem." Check out Dolidze's full interview in the video above.
USA Today
26-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Roman Dolidze responds to Robert Whittaker's 'pub fight' criticism: 'He got destroyed in his last fight'
Roman Dolidze fired back at Robert Whittaker for criticizing his past fight at UFC Fight Night 254. Dolidze (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) called out both Israel Adesanya and Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) after avenging his loss to Marvin Vettori in their main event earlier this month at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Whittaker shut down the callout. The former UFC middleweight champion said Dolidze's rematch with Vettori was a continuation of their first fight at UFC 286, and resembled a pub brawl. Dolidze didn't appreciate Whittaker's comments, and returned fire by mocking his quick submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. 'This is a talking guy who was knocked out a couple of times and he got destroyed in his last fight,' Dolidze said of Whittaker in an interview with Home of Fight. 'It's even funny to me to listen to a guy like that. Yes, I will always respect my opponents and fighters. He's a great fighter, he was a great champion, but listen: You're speaking too loud. You need to prove that you are so tough. 'If you're on your downfall, it doesn't mean anything. If you're scared to say normal words and speak normally – he's not a person whose words I can take like that. It's too loud for him to speak like that. We already saw what he's capable of doing and how many times he was stopped, and he tapped. Me and Vettori are two guys who have never been stopped before.' Dolidze is currently on a three-fight winning streak – defeating former title challenger Anthony Smith, stopping Kevin Holland, and most recently a unanimous decision over Vettori in their rematch.
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Mick Maynard's Shoes: What's next for Roman Dolidze after UFC Fight Night 254 win?
(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard's Shoes: What's next for Marvin Vettori after UFC Fight Night 254 loss?) Roman Dolidze avenged a key loss in his career Saturday when he defeated Marvin Vettori in their UFC Fight Night 254 main event rematch. After dropping a unanimous decision in the first meeting at UFC 286 in March 2023, Dolidze (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) got a unanimous decision of his own over Vettori (19-8-1 MMA, 9-6-1 UFC), except this time over five rounds and in a headlining spot at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Dolidze now has strung together three consecutive victories, and afterward called out former middleweight champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Should he get either of those matchups, though, or is it too much of a step forward for the Georgian? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Dolidze's future after UFC Fight Night 254. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.
