The Ultimate Fighting Championship is finalizing a light heavyweight bout between Reinier de Ridder and Roman Dolidze for its upcoming event at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, on August 22, 2026.
Both fighters are moving up from middleweight to the 205-pound division for this matchup.
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The event marks the promotion's return to California's capital city for the first time since 2019. Anthony Hernandez is scheduled to headline the card against Gregory Rodrigues.
De Ridder's Move to Light Heavyweight
De Ridder, a former two-division champion in ONE Championship, is making his first light heavyweight appearance in the Octagon.
The 35-year-old Dutch fighter started his UFC career with three straight victories, including wins over Bo Nickal and Robert Whittaker.
However, he has since suffered consecutive losses.
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He lost via retirement to Brendan Allen and then dropped a decision to top middleweight contender Caio Borralho at UFC 326 last March.
Dolidze Returns to 205 Pounds
Dolidze previously moved up to light heavyweight at UFC 303, where he secured a victory over former title challenger Anthony Smith.
After that win, the Georgian fighter earned middleweight victories over Kevin Holland and Marvin Vettori.
However, he now enters the bout on a two-fight losing streak, having lost to Hernandez and Christian Leroy Duncan.
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The UFC Sacramento fight card currently features six scheduled or rumored matchups, with about a month and a half remaining to finalize the lineup.
