Top UFC Middleweight Makes Two Huge Callouts After UFC 295 Opponent Withdraws

This middleweight wants an even bigger challenge than the one he had booked for UFC 295.

Drew Beaupré | Sep 14, 2023

Top UFC Middleweight Makes Two Huge Callouts After UFC 295 Opponent Withdraws /

With Derek Brunson apparently out of their scheduled matchup at UFC 295, Roman Dolidze has called out a pair of Top 5 middleweights for a fight before the end of this year.

Currently sitting at #7 in the UFC’s middleweight rankings, Dolidze was on an impressive four-fight win streak before he lost a decision to former title challenger Marvin Vettori at UFC 286.

A meeting at UFC 295 with the #8-ranked Brunson would have given both men a chance to get back into the win column. After breaking the news that “The One” had withdrawn from their fight, Dolidze immediately called out former middleweight titleholder Robert Whittaker to either step in at UFC 295 or take on the Georgian the following month.

Brunson is out. I heard @robwhittakermma you want to fight by end of year ! Lets do it! November or December!
— Roman Dolidze (@romandolidzeufc) September 14, 2023

“Brunson is out. I heard (Robert Whittaker) you want to fight by end of year ! Lets do it! November or December!" - Dolidze wrote.

Rather than just settle for one callout, Dolidze also suggested he’d be happy to meet Jared Cannonier after the latter fighter was just at UFC 293 last weekend to serve as the backup option for a title bout between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland.

Or Cannonier!✋
— Roman Dolidze (@romandolidzeufc) September 14, 2023

“Or Cannonier!” - Dolidze added.

A matchup with either Whittaker or Cannonier would provide a chance for the Georgian to vault into the middleweight Top 5, but “Killa Gorilla” already seems to have his sights set on challenging for the division’s title following Strickland’s upset victory in Sydney.

Whittaker is coming off his first loss to a middleweight other than Adesanya when he was stopped by Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290 in July. The 32-year-old does seem like he’s ready to get back into action, but with a new champion at the top of the division he may be hesitant to fight several spots back in the rankings against Dolidze.

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Published Sep 14, 2023