Updated August 20, 2026
Reinier de Ridder and Roman Dolidze meet Saturday, August 22, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento in a light heavyweight fight that carries plenty of uncertainty going in. Both men enter on 2-fight losing streaks, and both are moving back to 205 pounds after recent runs at middleweight. De Ridder is the more accomplished submission specialist and has the size advantage, but Dolidze has already won at light heavyweight in the UFC and brings considerably more finishing power. Current market prices make De Ridder a substantial favorite, which creates an interesting question for bettors: is his grappling enough to justify that price against a dangerous opponent?
Reinier de Ridder | Roman Dolidze | |
|---|---|---|
Age | 35 | 38 |
Height | 6'4" | 6'2" |
Reach | 78" | 76" |
Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
Record | 21-4 | 15-5 |
De Ridder arrives in Sacramento with an impressive UFC résumé despite his recent downturn. After joining the promotion in 2024, the former 2-division ONE Championship champion won 4 straight UFC fights. That run included submissions of Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland, a knockout of Bo Nickal, and a split-decision victory over Robert Whittaker. The Whittaker win in particular showed that De Ridder could adapt his grappling-heavy approach against a world-class opponent and survive extended periods of striking exchanges.
The last 2 fights have been a different story. Brendan Allen stopped De Ridder in October 2025, and Caio Borralho followed that with a unanimous-decision victory in March 2026. Borralho landed 57 of 98 significant strikes compared with 55 of 141 for De Ridder, while De Ridder converted only 2 of 8 takedown attempts. All 3 judges scored the fight 30-27 for Borralho.
That performance is important for this matchup because Dolidze presents a very different physical problem. De Ridder remains the superior submission threat, but his takedown accuracy has been modest at the UFC level. He enters this fight at 2.56 takedowns per 15 minutes with 29% accuracy, alongside 2.47 significant strikes landed per minute and 2.36 absorbed.
Dolidze's numbers tell a different story. The Georgian averages 3.19 significant strikes per minute and absorbs 3.71, while landing 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes. His 48% significant-strike defense and 32% takedown defense leave room for concern, but his biggest advantage is the damage he can generate when exchanges become physical. He has 8 knockout victories and 3 submissions in his career, with 8 of his wins coming inside the 1st round.
Dolidze has also demonstrated that he can be effective at 205 pounds. His June 2024 victory over Anthony Smith came at light heavyweight, and he landed 100 of 185 significant strikes while controlling the fight for extended stretches. That experience matters because Saturday's bout is a return to 205 pounds for both fighters.
His recent form, however, is hardly encouraging. Dolidze lost to Anthony Hernandez by 4th-round rear-naked choke in August 2025 before dropping a unanimous decision to Christian Leroy Duncan in March 2026. Duncan landed 54 of 99 significant strikes to Dolidze's 34 of 78, producing a clear statistical advantage in a fight that went the full 15 minutes.
This matchup comes down to whether De Ridder can consistently force grappling exchanges without paying a major physical price. De Ridder is at his best when he can establish clinch control, chain takedowns together, and force an opponent to defend submissions. His MMA record includes 13 submission victories, along with 5 knockouts and 3 decisions.
But the betting price is the deciding factor. At roughly -425, the market is asking bettors to pay for De Ridder's best attributes while giving insufficient credit to the uncertainty surrounding his return to light heavyweight. He has lost 2 straight fights, his recent takedown efficiency has been inconsistent, and his striking output was limited against Borralho. Dolidze has also lost 2 straight, but the move to 205 pounds potentially gives him a physical advantage over the version of himself that struggled at middleweight.
I expect De Ridder to have stretches of control, but I do not believe he should be priced as a -425 favorite. Dolidze has enough physical strength, 205-pound experience, and finishing ability to keep this competitive. We'll take a shot with the underdog with that in mind.