De Ridder and Dolidze move up to light heavyweight for UFC Sacramento clash

Reinier de Ridder and Roman Dolidze will meet as light heavyweights on the main card of UFC Sacramento on August 22 at the Golden 1 Center in California, with both men making the move up from 185 pounds.

Brazilian reporter Leo Guimaraes first broke the news of de Ridder’s divisional shift on Friday, with the bout subsequently confirmed by both athletes and additional outlets on Sunday. For de Ridder, it marks his first appearance at 205 pounds since a first-round finish of Magomedmurad Khasaev under the UAE Warriors banner in 2024 — the fight immediately before his UFC debut.

The matchup carries a striking symmetry: both men arrive having lost their last two bouts, and both suffered near-identical recent results — a fourth-round loss in a 2025 outing followed by a three-round decision defeat in March. That shared momentum, or lack of it, makes the bout something of a reset for two fighters looking to establish themselves in a new division.

De Ridder, nicknamed “The Dutch Knight,” brings considerable pedigree at light heavyweight. The 21-4 fighter is a former multi-division champion at ONE Championship, having held both the 185- and 205-pound titles for the promotion. His 86% finish rate underlines why he has long been considered a dangerous commodity wherever he competes.

Dolidze, who is two years older than his opponent, is no stranger to the weight class either. The Georgian fighter (15-5) last competed at light heavyweight at UFC 303 in 2024, where he earned a decision victory over perennial contender Anthony Smith. His own finish rate of 73% speaks to an aggressive style, even if it falls short of de Ridder’s benchmark.

UFC Sacramento’s current announced lineup also features a heavyweight contest between Serghei Spivac and Vitor Petrino, a lightweight bout between MarQuel Mederos and Mason Jones, Wesley Schultz against Jackson McVey at middleweight, and a women’s flyweight matchup between Carli Judice and Jeisla Chaves.