Roman Dolidze vs Reinier de Ridder Preview & Prediction — UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues

The full-fight review supports both sides of this matchup. Roman Dolidze can punish a bad entry with fight-ending counter power, while Reinier de Ridder has shown he can recover from entry adversity and still build long control phases. Bones makes de Ridder the 60 percent directional pick, but the steep price and Dolidze's knockout route make it a pass with no wager.

Roman Dolidze

Dolidze carries documented punch-and-knee knockout power, giving him a direct answer to de Ridder's riskiest moment: the entry. De Ridder has three recorded knockout or technical-knockout losses, and the verified Whittaker fight showed the immediate danger when a failed entry left him knocked down. Dolidze's own recent grappling result creates the opposing case. Hernandez completed nine takedowns, accumulated 468 seconds of control, and finished him with a fourth-round rear-naked choke. Dolidze can change the fight with one counter, but he must repeatedly deny the same sustained control route that de Ridder is equipped to pursue.

Reinier de Ridder

The verified full Whittaker fight is the key evidence for de Ridder. He completed only two of 15 takedown attempts, yet still accumulated 546 seconds of control, recovered after being knocked down on an entry, completed a later takedown, and remained active across five rounds. That persistence maps directly onto Dolidze's recent loss to sustained wrestling and a late submission. It does not erase the entry danger, because Dolidze needs only one clean counter to overturn the matchup. De Ridder is the selected side because his control route can survive failed attempts and adversity, not because every entry is safe.

How the fight plays out

Bones' official pick: Reinier de Ridder. De Ridder's sustained control and submission game maps directly onto Dolidze's clearest recent grappling loss: Hernandez completed nine takedowns, held 468 seconds of control, and finished a fourth-round rear-naked choke. The verified full de Ridder-Whittaker fight supports the durability of that route even through failed entries and adversity: de Ridder went 2 of 15 on takedowns, still accumulated 546 seconds of control, recovered after an entry knockdown, completed a later takedown, and remained active through five rounds. Dolidze's counter power keeps the matchup narrow.

The verdict

Bones' official pick: Reinier de Ridder. De Ridder's sustained control and submission game maps directly onto Dolidze's clearest recent grappling loss: Hernandez completed nine takedowns, held 468 seconds of control, and finished a fourth-round rear-naked choke. The verified full de Ridder-Whittaker fight supports the durability of that route even through failed entries and adversity: de Ridder went 2 of 15 on takedowns, still accumulated 546 seconds of control, recovered after an entry knockdown, completed a later takedown, and remained active through five rounds. Dolidze's counter power keeps the matchup narrow.