Ultimate Fighting Championship
Dolidze got signed to the UFC but before he made his debut, he tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolites M1 and M2, as well as a long-term metabolite of dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), 4-chloro-18-nor-17β-hydroxymethyl,17α-methyl-5α-androst-13-en-3α-ol (M3), as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample collected on 12 March 2019. He was suspended for one year due to this violation and he was eligible to fight on 12 March 2020. [10]
On 3 September 2020, Dolidze along with Ryan Benoit, were granted temporary licenses following special hearings by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after they had recurring issues with the long-term metabolite of Turinabol pulsing in their system in trace amounts, long after ingestion. Both Benoit and Dolidze have already been suspended by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the UFC's anti-doping partner. Neither were facing a violation in Nevada, but the UFC wanted to get ahead of a potential issue. This was after USADA added a threshold for the presence of the M3 metabolite of DHCMT. If a test result is below 100 picograms per milliliter of the substance, it is no longer considered a violation, but an atypical finding, providing there is no evidence of new ingestion or performance-enhancing effects. Benoit and Dolidze were granted temporary licenses to compete beginning 1 December following a six-month period of bimonthly testing by USADA. [11]
A bout between Khadis Ibragimov and Roman Dolidze was initially scheduled for the promotion's inaugural event in Kazakhstan planned a month prior. [12] However, the fight was postponed after the card was moved to Las Vegas due to travel restrictions for both participants related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pairing was left intact and eventually took place on 19 July 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2. [13] Dolidze won the fight via technical knockout in round one after in process of high kick, Ibragimov tried to go for a takedown, during which Dolidze hit him with a knee, knocking Ibragimov out. [14]
Dolidze faced John Allan at UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori on 5 December 2020. [15] He won the bout via split decision; however 19 out of 19 media members scored it a 30–27 for Dolidze. [16] [17]
Dolidze, as a replacement for Dricus du Plessis, faced Trevin Giles in his middleweight debut on 20 March 2021, at UFC on ESPN 21 [18] He lost the close bout via unanimous decision. [19]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Alessio Di Chirico on 5 June 2021, at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai. [20] However, Di Chirico pulled out of the contest in mid-May due to an injury. [21] Di Chirico was replaced by Laureano Staropoli. [22] In a lackluster fight where Dolidze mostly held Staropoli in the clinch, he won the fight via unanimous decision. [23] [24]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Eryk Anders on 13 November 2021, at UFC Fight Night 197. [25] However, Anders was pulled the event for undisclosed reasons, [26] and he was replaced by Kyle Daukaus. [27] In turn, the bout was scrapped due to COVID-19 protocols related to Dolidze’s camp. [28]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Brendan Allen, replacing Brad Tavares on 4 December 2021, at UFC on ESPN 31. [29] However, Dolidze was forced to pull from the bout due to complications in his recovery from COVID-19 and he was replaced by Chris Curtis. [30]
Dolidze was rescheduled to face Kyle Daukaus on 18 June 2022, at UFC on ESPN 37. [31] He won the bout via knockout in round one. [32] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award. [33]
Dolidze faced Phil Hawes on 29 October 2022, at UFC Fight Night 213. [34] He won the fight via knockout in round one. [35]
Dolidze, replacing undisclosed injury Derek Brunson, faced Jack Hermansson on 3 December 2022, at UFC on ESPN 42. [36] He won the bout via ground and pound TKO in the second round. [37]
Dolidze faced Marvin Vettori on 18 March 2023, at UFC 286. [38] He lost the fight via unanimous decision. [39]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Derek Brunson at UFC 295 on 11 November 2023. [40] However, Brunson announced on 14 September that he was parting ways with the organization, and the bout was scrapped. [41]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Jared Cannonier on 2 December 2023, at UFC on ESPN 52. [42] However, Cannonier suffered an MCL tear in October during training and the bout was scrapped. [43]
Dolidze faced Nassourdine Imavov on 3 February 2024, at UFC Fight Night 235 in his first UFC main event. [44] He lost the bout by majority decision. [45]
Dolidze was scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez on 1 June 2024 at UFC 302. [46] However Hernandez was forced out of the bout due to a torn ligament in his hand and the bout was cancelled. [47]
It was briefly announced that Dolidze would face Michel Pereira on 8 June 2024, at UFC on ESPN 57. [48] However, Pereira claimed he never signed any contracts for the fight and the bout fell through. [49]
Dolidze, on short notice and as a replacement for Carlos Ulberg, faced Anthony Smith in a Light Heavyweight bout on 29 June 2024 at UFC 303. [50] He won the fight by unanimous decision. [51]
Replacing an injured Chris Curtis, Dolidze faced Kevin Holland on October 5, 2024 at UFC 307. [52] Dolidze won the fight by technical knockout due to a corner stoppage as a result of a rib injury at the end of the first round. [53]
