At UFC Vegas 85, fans witnessed a thrilling clash between top 15 middleweights Nassourdine Imavov and Roman Dolidze in the main event.
Imavov stepped into the octagon aiming to bounce back from a frustrating 2023, which saw his last bout against Chris Curtis end in a No Contest due to a head clash.
Prior to that, he suffered a decision loss to Sean Strickland, leaving him with a record of 0-1 with one NC for the year. On the other hand, Dolidze was coming off a lone fight in 2023, ending in a decision loss to Marvin Vettori in March.
In a closely contested match, Nassourdine Imavov clinched a majority decision victory over Roman Dolidze, despite having a point deducted during the fight. Imavov’s striking prowess, evident from his 154-to-59 advantage in strikes landed, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Although Dolidze showcased his wrestling skills, Imavov’s striking dominance ultimately proved decisive, with a near TKO in the first round further highlighting his dominance.
With this significant win, Nassourdine Imavov is poised to enter the top 10 rankings and is likely to feature in another main event in the future.
A potential matchup against the loser of the Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori fight scheduled for April seems fitting, with a possible showdown in August in Paris. Such a bout would serve as a crucial opportunity for both fighters to assert their standing in the middleweight division.
Meanwhile, Roman Dolidze finds himself on a two-fight losing streak following his defeat to Imavov. Despite showcasing his wrestling acumen, he struggled against Imavov’s striking game.
Looking ahead, Dolidze is expected to face an opponent ranked below him to prove his merit in the division. A matchup against the winner of Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov at UFC 298 presents an opportunity for Dolidze to bounce back, with both fighters offering intriguing challenges.
Kopylov, currently unranked, and Hernandez, ranked 14th, are set to battle it out, with the victor likely earning a significant bout in their next outing. For Dolidze, it’s a chance to reaffirm his position in the rankings after two consecutive losses, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead in the middleweight landscape.
