WHY Are We Doing This AGAIN?!?

03/13/2025 11:10 PM

There's absolutely no reason Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze should be fighting again.

The two scrappers collided almost exactly two years ago (March 18, 2023) at UFC 286. Sadly, it was not a particularly good fight. Dolidze started strong with some good connections, but he ultimately had no real answer for Vettori's distance movement, kicks, and counter punches. It was a clear-cut unanimous decision win and solid enough showing from the Italian, but it was far from a memorable bout.

There was no controversy nor any great moment of excitement. Usually, at least one is a prerequisite for booking a rematch 24 months later. Certainly, nothing about the first fight implied an additional 10 minutes was necessary. This bout ultimately serves as a perfect symbol of two different negative trends in UFC matchmaking: an obsession with both rematches and Middleweights.

The rematch fixation would seem to be a post-Apex adjustment, as pointless rematches that nobody is really asking for have become increasingly common. The change feels like a response to the demand of hosting so many events. Despite the roster being more bloated than ever, the same handful of ranked fighters are competing three-to-four times a year while the rest are lucky to get two bouts. Consequently, the chosen few end up in the cage a second time more often.

As for the Middleweight love, that's easy enough to explain. UFC has always preferred to book bigger man in prime positions on cards, because they generally have a better chance than the smaller fighters of becoming draws. It's a shame, because Bantamweight through Lightweight is consistently responsible for the best fights and most skilled combatants, but that's how it is.

As a result, we've all seen plenty of tired 185-pounders who really look like they don't want two more rounds of work.

What's strange here is that the Middleweight division is hot right now. There's a genuine surge of up-and-coming contenders, athletes like Anthony Hernandez, Caio Borralho, and Nassourdine Imavov (all of whom have been main event fighters in the last year or two). They're exciting fighters who could well be champion within 12 months. Conversely, neither Vettori nor Dolidze has the least bit of momentum right now.

Why are they being highlighted, let alone against each other again?

Vettori has fought just once since the first Dolidze bout, taking a life-altering beating at the hands of Jared Cannonier. This fight is really a test of whether he's still a good fighter after absorbing a couple hundred power punches from a nasty knockout artist. That's a decent-enough narrative, but it doesn't call for five rounds.

Meanwhile, Dolidze has won two of three since the initial scrap. One of those wins was at 205-pounds, while another was an injury victory over Kevin Holland. At 36 years of age with a limited (if unique) skill set, there's not much optimism about a Dolidze title run, not after that dreadful bout versus Imavov.

An okay Middleweight main event is standard enough for a modern Apex card, but when we've already seen them fight once before ... it's hard not to wonder why? Who is this for? Surely, there were better options available. Just off the top of my head, the 185-pound scrap between Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez that took place two weeks ago would've been a far more interesting and worthy five-round choice.

Just ... what are we doing here?