UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov Breakdown & Preview

The UFC returns from a short break with an event that flies under many radars. The UFC Apex card features a lot of high-profile fighters mixed in with legitimate up-and-coming talent.

The Main Event

Taking the featured spot of the night, Nassourdine Imavov hopes to get his first win since 2022 after a slew of unfortunate results. The "Russian Sniper" was soundly defeated by future champion Sean Strickland, before dropping a No-Contest in a clash of heads against Chris Curtis. The French-Russian phenom takes on the surging Georgian Roman Dolidze, who --- until his last fight --- was looking like a real title contender.

Dolidze wowed spectators with his back-to-back finishes of Phil Hawes and Jack Hermansson. Most impressive was his win over Hermansson, where "The Caucasian" caught his foe in a calf slicer and TKO'd him from back control:

I feel like Roman Dolidze is being slept on vs. Marvin Vetorri, so here’s a reminder of what he did to Jack Hermansson on short notice #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/doXZIBtc3W
— MMA² (@mma_squared) March 18, 2023

He had a similar approach with Hawes, destroying his leg before securing the knockout:

Roman Dolidze really tore Phil Hawes’ leg apart and then brutally knocked him out last fight

who is ready for him v. Hermansson this weekend??? #UFCOrlando pic.twitter.com/qKke77cKXU
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) November 30, 2022

Imavov vs. Dolidze is a matchup between two dangerous and well-rounded fighters. The stakes are high as the winner could move on to fight for a title eliminator.

Fights You Shouldn't Miss

Renato Moicano vs. Drew Dober

Our co-main event is a clash of finishers. Drew Dober is one of the most dogged fighters in the lightweight division. The American slugger is a chin-down, swing-for-the-fences-style fighter with a seven-fight finishing streak (in between his entertaining losses).

Moicano on the other hand is a dangerous submission specialist with zero knockouts on his record. This hasn't stopped him from securing rear-naked chokes in his last four victories. He'll be returning from a long layoff since defeating Brad Riddell in late 2022.

Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov

Muslim Salikhov might be getting old, but his spinning attacks are some of the cleanest in the UFC. His opponent Randy Brown should look to stay on his feet and provide a unique problem to solve for his Russian adversary.

"King of Kung Fu" Salikhov is coming off a loss to Nicolas Dalby and should be looking for a statement victory, especially at 39. Brown has just recouped from a defeat with a victory over Wellington Thurman, and a win over Salikhov puts him straight back into the fray.

Fighters to Keep an Eye on

Natália Silva

Natália Silva might be facing her stiffest test on February 4 in Viviane Araujo, but if she passes with flying colors she may just be the next best thing at women's flyweight.

Silva is a slick striker who uses boxing combinations to set up strong kicks. She possesses the only spinning back kick finish in women's flyweight history, and has looked thoroughly dominant in all four of her UFC fights. Silva's striking has completely shut out her UFC opposition, and she has seven submission wins to boot.

Aliaskhab Khizriev

14-0-0 Aliaskhab Khizriev makes his second UFC appearance since choking out Denis Tiuliulin in early 2022. Khizriev possesses that patented Dagestani-style wrestling, and he can hold his own in the striking.

"The Black Wolf" has been blighted with cancellations since signing with the UFC, dropping five fights in total. He faces tough opposition in Makhmud Muradov, a tough, experienced striker known for his devastating power.

Themba Gorimbo

Whilst not the most technically brilliant fighter on the roster, Themba Gorimbo possesses a lot of heart and a backstory that makes him easy to rally behind.

"The Answer" went viral after his last fight where he exclaimed he had less than $10 to his name. This didn't stop him from donating his fight kit to fund clean water in his village back in Zimbabwe. His act of charity was rewarded when Dwayne Johnson donated a house to the fighter in need.

This will be Gorimbo's first fight since finding good fortune and fans will be pleased to see if he succeeds.

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