Roman Dolidze made a pair of calculated callouts when he requested to combat Robert Whittaker or Israel Adesanya subsequent following his unanimous choice victory over Marvin Vettori, which marked his third win in a row total.
He particularly focused Whittaker and Adesanya, as a result of regardless of being former champions, each are coming off losses and seeking to get again on observe within the division. Whereas he hasn’t heard a lot from Adesanya but, Dolidze wasn’t amused by the way in which Whittaker dismissed a possible combat towards him when reacting to the callout.
“I’m making an attempt to combat a prime 5 man, dude, be part of the queue,” Whittaker stated about Dolidze on his podcast. “I watched [a round and a half] and was like, ‘Dude, I’ve nothing to achieve from this,’ and I went again to taking part in Monster Hunter Wilds.”
Whittaker additionally criticized the rematch between Dolidze and Vettori, calling it “the very same as their first combat” whereas clearly expressing little interest in going through the Georgian middleweight.
“It’s humorous. It’s very infantile,” Dolidze informed MMA Combating when reacting to Whittaker’s response. “How someone who misplaced [to Khamzat Chimaev], who tapped really easy and didn’t present the guts of a fighter can communicate such issues like he stated after shedding like that. It doesn’t make sense. You must show completely different to talk like that. I can’t take his phrases critical. It’s very infantile for me.
“If he doesn’t wish to combat, say he doesn’t wish to combat however to search out so many excuses of why he doesn’t wish to combat me, simply settle down, boy, and do no matter you need. If he doesn’t need it, no downside.”
Whereas Whittaker undoubtedly nonetheless carries a number of weight within the division, he’s gone 3-3 in his previous six fights and he’s unlikely anyplace close to one other title shot after being completed by reigning champion Dricus du Plessis in addition to his submission loss to Chimaev.
That’s why Dolidze doesn’t perceive why Whittaker is making an attempt to be so choosy about his opponents, particularly with the prospect to face a fighter on a stable win streak proper now.
“Adesanya additionally, these two guys, I didn’t neglect their achievements in MMA and what they did earlier than however now they’re the downfall,” Dolidze stated. “Identical with Adesanya, he’s an excellent man. He was a dominant champion. I don’t don’t have anything towards him as a fighter, as an individual, however I simply wish to combat with the perfect guys. If I’m calling them out, it’s as a result of I believe they’re top-of-the-line, nothing extra.
“I referred to as out these guys as a result of it is smart. They’re each on prime of the division for too lengthy. They’re each coming off losses.”
Dolidze doesn’t know if Adesanya views his callout in the very same means as Whittaker however he admits it’s somewhat irritating with the middleweight division at a standstill and two of the largest stars presently sitting on the sidelines.
He acknowledges that Chimaev is nearly actually subsequent for du Plessis whereas Nassourdine Imavov — a fighter he fought to an in depth majority choice — undoubtedly deserves his personal alternative to combat for UFC gold. However all people else occupying spots close to the highest of the rankings ought to begin in search of recent, new challenges and Dolidze believes he deserves to that sort of alternative.
“The Adesanya combat I believe additionally make sense as a result of he’s additionally quiet,” Dolidze stated. “Who is aware of, perhaps he’s fascinated about it and perhaps the UFC supplied him one thing. However I’m prepared for anyone they provide as a result of who I wished to combat, I already stated. After all, I wish to combat someone increased ranked that me. As I discussed to you, I’m not a man who’s stepping again if they provide me someone else. After all, who is smart for my profession, I’ll comply with combat.
“I at all times wished to combat Khamzat [Chimev], however Khamzat deserves to combat for the title. He’s combating for the title. [Nassourdine] Imavov deserves to combat for the title. Why I referred to as these two guys, Whittaker and Adesanya, the division is caught. There’s a line for the title. They need to combat for the title. That’s why no person desires to attend, however Imavov will wait most likely. However there’s Caio [Borralho], [Sean] Strickland, Whittaker and Adesanya. All of those guys have to combat. In the event that they wish to sit and look forward to some magic, they will wait however I’m right here to combat and I’m able to do it.”
Dolidze additionally scoffs at the concept he’s undeserving of Whittaker’s consideration and the identical goes for Adesanya as a result of in the end they’re nonetheless getting paid the identical cash to combat him as anyone else within the division.
“We’re doing all this, it’s our job. Don’t be liars,” Dolidze stated. “So many individuals once they say we aren’t doing this for cash, I have a look at their eyes and I say you guys are liars. OK, combat me for one greenback. He’ll combat me by no means. He’ll combat precisely what’s on his contract. I’m doing this for cash. I need to make more cash. If they won’t combat, they may sit dwelling and never earn cash.
“That’s why this complete factor doesn’t make sense. I have to combat. They should combat. Let’s go. In the event that they suppose a combat with me is very easy, then combat me and make your cash.”
In an excellent state of affairs, Dolidze would truly get someone like Whittaker or Adesanya as his subsequent opponent and people are each fights price ready for.
That stated, the 36-year-old veteran isn’t making an attempt to attend without end and as a lot as he desires a top-ranked opponent or a former champion as his subsequent opponent, Dolidze received’t flip down a chance if the UFC comes calling.
“New Roman, he’ll wait most likely if there will probably be one thing attention-grabbing,” Dolidze stated. “After all, I’m the man who likes to combat. I’ve so many short-notice fights. I’ve most likely three fights brief discover, like short-short — like one week discover, 10 days discover — like after I was combating [Jack] Hermansson, in 10 days I lower 14 kilos (roughly 30 kilos) — it was not straightforward. That was most likely my worst weight lower as a result of I had some imaginative and prescient issues and a few issues occurring. Issues like that may’t cease me.
“But when will make sense to combat and they’ll supply me some combat that’s higher for my profession, higher for my future, perhaps I’ll wait. However all these guys who I discussed, they haven’t fought for [a long time]. Additionally they have to combat. Let’s see what’s going to occur. I wish to combat.”
