Roman Dolidze on 3rd straight UFC loss: ‘I did not lose my dignity’

Roman Dolidze has issued a dignified statement following his first-round stoppage loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC Sacramento, marking the Georgian fighter's third consecutive defeat. Despite the disappointing outcome, Dolidze emphasized that while he lost the bout, he did not lose his integrity or sense of purpose.

The fight itself was decided within the opening moments. Dolidze shot for a takedown in the opening seconds, but de Ridder, the former ONE Championship light heavyweight titleholder, prevailed in the wrestling exchange. De Ridder established dominant top position and unleashed unanswered ground-and-pound strikes until the referee halted the action in the first round.

In his Instagram statement, Dolidze (15-6) acknowledged the disappointment felt by his supporters, particularly fans in his home country. "Failure is nothing to be ashamed of," he wrote. "I know today's battle didn't go well. I know many had different expectations of me, and I may have let you down." He stressed his willingness to accept both criticism and constructive feedback regarding his performance. "You may criticize my fight. You might say I made the wrong decisions or should have performed better; as an athlete, I accept this and will analyze it."

Dolidze concluded by reaffirming his resilience: "I lost the fight. I did not lose my country, my dignity, or my path." He indicated his next appearance will come on September 19 in Georgia. Meanwhile, de Ridder rebounded from consecutive middleweight losses with the victory, suggesting the division move to light heavyweight may prove beneficial for both fighters.