Closing out the show at UFC Vegas 109 on Saturday were top 10 ranked middleweights Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez.
Dolidze and “Fluffy” were neck-and-neck in the 185lb rankings, with Dolidze in the #9 spot, and Hernandez ranked at #10.
Just 15 seconds in, Hernandez changed levels, and Dolidze went to his back, threatening with a leg lock. That had Hernandez opting to pull back. The pair then exchanged low kicks, with Dolidze adding a couple of extras. A left hook followed for the Georgian, who had bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili in his corner on Saturday.
About 90 seconds in, Dolidze and Hernandez tied up along the fence after a pretty solid exchange. They would stay there for about 30 seconds, Dolidze proving to have a slight edge in strength. Hernandez, however, went to the head with his hands and the body with a kick moments that, then drove Dolidze into the fence before dragging the Georgian to his knees. Again, Dolidze attacked with the leg lock, forcing Hernandez to retreat once more.
Round two saw Dolidze touching Hernandez with inside leg kicks again, but Hernandez soon shot into a takedown. When Dolidze welcomed fighting off his back, Hernandez allowed him back up. “Fluffy” began mixing up his hands and kicks, with Dolidze answering care of some clubbing blows. Soon, Hernandez had drawn Dolidze into a brawl, and was walking forward, chirping and jawing at the Georgian. Hernandez then mixed things up, forcing a tiring Dolidze to the ground in what looked like an easy takedown. Then, Hernandez let him back up. Inside leg kick, combo, rinse, repeat for Hernandez. A couple of slick feints, a standing elbow, and another takedown hit the mark for Hernandez. Dolidze rolled into a leg lock, and Hernandez scrambled out of it.
The next exchange saw Dolidze hurt and retreating, only to be taken down again. Hernandez then went after a guillotine, though he was out of position for it. A knee to the body landed for Hernandez, who then went Donkey Kong on Dolidze. Ref Herb Dean then pulled Hernandez off, and he began celebrating, only for Dean to inform the corners that the fight was still on – the round was just over.
It was right back to the ground in round three, Dolidze giving up his back. Hernandez let him up again, just wearing the Georgian down. Hernandez then pinned Dolidze in against the fence, with Roman on one knee. Hernandez fired knees to the thigh, put his weight on Doldize, and got an arm around the neck briefly. Dolidze would escape, and even try to pull guard later in the round. Hernandez instead backed off, and landed a crisp right hand moments later. Then came another takedown by Hernandez, who got on top, landed an elbow, and put turned the heat up. Heading into round four, he was easily up 30-27.
In a round where Dolidze needed to start thinking about a finish, he instead found Hernandez draped all over him once more. Dolidze would try, in vain, to grab a leg. Instead, Hernandez softened his opponent up more with punches. And then let Dolidze up again, which was becoming downright cruel. On the next takedown attempt, Dolidze grabbed the fence, something he’d done earlier in the fight, leading ref Dean to say he was taking a point. It wouldn’t matter. Hernandez would land a knee, then grab the neck from behind, choking Dolidze and forcing the tap while still stepping backwards, in motion.
Official Result: Anthony Hernandez def. Roman Dolidze by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 4, 2:45
