Roman Dolidze puts health first in move to light heavyweight for UFC

Roman Dolidze is returning to light heavyweight because he believes the move will protect his health and extend his career. The Georgian fighter is leaving the 185-pound middleweight limit behind to compete at 205 pounds against Reinier de Ridder at UFC Sacramento on Saturday night.

Dolidze has competed in both divisions during his UFC career, but the decision to stay at light heavyweight has been shaped by how his body responded to the middleweight cut. He said he was unhappy with the way he felt while regaining weight and with his condition during fights after making the limit.

The 36-year-old believes the move can help him produce a stronger version of himself in the cage. He remains mentally prepared to cut weight, but has decided that continuing to do so is not the best option for his long-term health.

Dolidze began his UFC career at light heavyweight, where he had two fights before moving down to middleweight. He later returned to 205 pounds for a bout with Anthony Smith. The latest change is therefore a return to a division he already knows rather than an entirely new direction.

Despite the different weight classes, Dolidze does not see his approach to fighting changing. He considers himself the same competitor at either limit and says the sport has been part of his life rather than something limited to the contest itself.

His route to the UFC was also unusual. Dolidze did not compete as an amateur and first put on gloves at about 27 years old. He made his professional MMA debut at 28, then reached the UFC after six fights in two years. After entering the sport late and competing against high-level opponents for roughly four years, he hopes to recognise when his body and mind tell him it is time to stop, even though retirement is not currently on his mind.

For now, Dolidze is focused on de Ridder and is not concerned with identifying a particular future opponent. He views the leading fighters in his division simply as the opponents ahead of him, with his next test coming at light heavyweight in Sacramento.