Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori Trilogy? What’s Next After UFC Vegas 104 Rematch

The UFC Vegas 104 main event delivered exactly what hardcore MMA fans expected – a gritty, back-and-forth battle between two middleweight contenders with unfinished business. Roman Dolidze evened the score with Marvin Vettori, securing a unanimous decision victory that left fans buzzing about a potential trilogy bout.

But should we really run this back a third time? Let’s break down what happened Saturday night and what might come next.

Dolidze Gets His Revenge After Four Years

When these two first met in 2020, Vettori walked away with a unanimous decision win. Fast forward four years, and Dolidze has clearly evolved as a fighter. The Georgian showed improved cardio, smart striking, and tactical awareness throughout five grueling rounds.

What impressed me most was Dolidze’s ability to handle Vettori’s pressure. The Italian’s forward-moving style has troubled many opponents, but Dolidze remained composed, finding counters and scoring crucial takedowns when needed.

Insert image of Dolidze landing a significant strike on Vettori here

By The Numbers: Breaking Down The Rematch

What Made The Difference This Time?

While the striking numbers were close, Dolidze’s ground control and more impactful moments clearly swayed the judges. Vettori had his moments, particularly in rounds 2 and 5, but couldn’t match Dolidze’s overall effectiveness.

The win puts Dolidze back in the win column after his disappointing loss to Nassourdine Imavov and establishes him as a legitimate top-10 middleweight. For Vettori, it’s his third loss in four fights – a concerning trend for the former title challenger.

Do We Need A Trilogy Fight?

Let’s be honest – middleweight isn’t exactly the UFC’s deepest division right now. With champion Dricus Du Plessis likely facing Israel Adesanya next, and contenders like Sean Strickland, Jared Cannonier, and Robert Whittaker all looking for meaningful matchups, a Dolidze-Vettori trilogy might make business sense.

But from a sporting perspective? I’m not completely sold.

While both fights were competitive, neither ended in controversy. There was no robbery, no freak injury, no moment that left fans demanding immediate closure. Sometimes a 1-1 series can simply be left as a testament to two evenly matched fighters who split their encounters.

Better Options For Both Fighters

For Dolidze (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), a fight against someone like Jared Cannonier or the winner of Caio Borralho vs. Paul Craig would represent a step up. At 36, Dolidze needs to capitalize on this momentum if he wants a title shot before time catches up to him.

Vettori (19-7-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC) might benefit from taking a slight step back to rebuild. A matchup with Nassourdine Imavov or even a veteran like Kelvin Gastelum could help him regain his footing in the division.

What The Fighters Had To Say

In his post-fight interview, Dolidze seemed open to all possibilities: “I’m ready for anyone in the division. If UFC wants trilogy, I’ll do it. If they want me to fight top five, I’ll do that too. I just want to stay active.”

Vettori, visibly disappointed, acknowledged the loss but didn’t explicitly call for an immediate rematch: “He was better tonight. I need to go back and fix some things. This division moves fast, so we’ll see what makes sense next.”

The Bigger Picture For UFC’s Middleweight Division

With current champion Du Plessis still establishing himself and several former champions and contenders shuffling positions, middleweight is in a transitional period. This creates both challenges and opportunities for fighters like Dolidze and Vettori.

You don’t often see immediate trilogies without a title involved. The UFC typically prefers to have fighters earn their way back to rematches through other matchups, creating new stories and fresh matchups along the way.

Who Benefits Most From UFC Vegas 104’s Outcome?

Beyond the main event participants, the real winners might be fighters like Bo Nickal, Caio Borralho, and other rising middleweight prospects. As established names like Vettori struggle to maintain consistency, the door opens for new blood to make their mark.

What do you think? Should the UFC book the trilogy right away, or should both men face new challenges? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

What’s Next For The Middleweight Division?

While we wait to see what the UFC decides for Dolidze and Vettori, the division has several intriguing matchups on the horizon:

• Du Plessis vs. Adesanya (rumored for late 2023)
• Sean Strickland looking to rebound after his title loss
• Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 305
• Rising stars like Bo Nickal and Caio Borralho gaining momentum

One thing’s certain – Roman Dolidze just made himself a much more interesting piece in the middleweight puzzle. Whether that leads to a trilogy fight with Vettori or a new challenge altogether, his UFC Vegas 104 performance deserves respect.

For the latest UFC news and in-depth fight analysis, bookmark our site and follow us on social media. The middleweight division isn’t slowing down, and neither are we!