Dolidze Maintains Dignity After Third Straight UFC Loss

Roman Dolidze says he did not lose his dignity despite suffering a third consecutive UFC defeat.

The Georgian middleweight moved up to heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight for a matchup with former One Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder at UFC Sacramento on August 23. According to Sherdog, Dolidze attempted a takedown in the opening moments but found himself on bottom as de Ridder established top control and landed unanswered ground strikes to force a stoppage in the first round.

Dolidze Accepts Responsibility After Sacramento Setback

In an Instagram post following the loss, Dolidze addressed his supporters directly and acknowledged he may have disappointed fans. "I know today's battle didn't go well. I know many had different expectations of me, and I may have let you down," he wrote, per the report. "I fight on behalf of Georgia, and when I win, your joy is my joy too. But when I lose—that, too, is part of the sport."

Dolidze, now 15-6 overall, told critics he welcomes their feedback. "You may criticize my fight. You might say I made the wrong decisions or should have performed better; as an athlete, I accept this and will analyze it," he added. "I lost the fight. I did not lose my country, my dignity, or my path."

The defeat marked Dolidze's third straight setback in the octagon. De Ridder rebounded from back-to-back middleweight losses with the victory. Dolidze told fans to expect him back in Georgia on September 19.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Roman Dolidze on 3rd straight UFC loss: ‘I did not lose my dignity’