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Roman Dolidze secured a hard-fought victory over Anthony Smith at UFC 303, stepping in on short notice to replace Carlos Ulberg. Despite the late notice and moving up to 205 pounds, Dolidze showcased his striking and grappling prowess to earn a unanimous decision win.
Dolidze, primarily a middleweight, accepted the fight just over a week prior, necessitating a shift to the light heavyweight division. Although it wasn't a spectacular victory, Dolidze effectively landed better strikes and dominated on the ground, leaving Smith struggling to keep up. The judges scored the bout 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 in favor of Dolidze.
“Top 10 in two weight classes!” Dolidze exclaimed after his win. “I don’t like to blame nothing. It’s fighting, you always need to be prepared. I will compete in both of them and will be champion. I’m ready for both weight classes.”
Throughout the fight, Smith tried to find openings, stalking Dolidze around the octagon while exchanging leg kicks. Dolidze adeptly circled away and delivered powerful kicks to Smith’s legs, maintaining his distance. In a decisive moment, Dolidze rushed forward, causing Smith to fall to the ground. Dolidze seized the opportunity, unleashing a flurry of punches, believing Smith was more hurt than he appeared.
Dolidze maintained top control, delivering punches and knees to Smith, who was forced to cover up and minimize damage. When Smith attempted to stand, Dolidze connected with a knee to the head, further asserting his dominance. Back on their feet, Dolidze landed a solid left hand, visibly affecting Smith.
As the fight progressed into the third round, Dolidze appeared fresher, while Smith’s movements became more labored. Dolidze continued to land jabs, keeping Smith at bay. Despite Smith's efforts, he couldn't mount enough offense to change the fight's outcome. Dolidze, taking the fight on short notice, controlled the action and secured the victory.
With this win, Dolidze expressed his readiness to compete in both weight classes but hinted at a return to middleweight. He called out a prominent name for his next fight, showing his ambition.
“I had one desire because this guy is very good,” Dolidze said. “Khamzat [Chimaev] … I want to see him at middleweight.”