MMA Preview – Anthony Smith vs Roman Dolidze at UFC 303
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ANTHONY SMITH VS ROMAN DOLIDZE FACTS
When is UFC 303? Sunday 30th June, 2024 - 01:00 (UK)
Where is UFC 303? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 303? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 303
What channel is UFC 303 on? TNT Sports 1
Where can I stream UFC 303? TNT Sports subscribers can stream the fight online via the TNT Sports website and Discovery+
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
ANTHONY SMITH VS ROMAN DOLIDZE LOWDOWN
Anthony Smith (38-19) originally stepped in for Jamahal Hill to fight Carlos Ulberg. However, the Kiwi then pulled out creating this new matchup. Smith got three fights in last year which sums up his UFC career. He started it by getting outpointed by Johnny Walker but responded with a split decision win over Ryan Spann. He returned to fight Khalil Rountree and got knocked out for the 11th time in his career. He was then paired with another assassin at UFC 301 a couple months ago and pulled off a brilliant upset submission catching Vitro Petrino in a guillotine.
Roman Dolidze (12-3) steps up on short notice much to the delight on Smith. It is a ballsy play considering he has not won a fight since 2022. That was a perfect year in fairness capping a four-fight win streak with three knockouts and ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses against Kyle Daukaus, Phil Hawes and Jack Hermansson. However, he has gone on to lose decisions to Marvin Vettori (2023) and Nassourdine Imavov (2024) denting his UFC tally to 6-3.
ANTHONY SMITH VS ROMAN DOLIDZE PREDICTION
Dolidze steps back up to light heavyweight for this short notice matchup. He won both his 205 lb fights at the start of his UFC career and Smith is a former middleweight, so the weight difference will not count for much. Smith is a couple inches taller, but they have the same reach.
They are both good strikers with exceptional jiu-jitsu. Smith is more likely to shoot in and try and get the fight to the floor. Dolidze is more powerful and will be thinking of the 11 knockouts in Smith’s loss column.
The veteran has a lot of miles on the clock and we expect Dolidze to try and finish the job on the feet. If he starts to land, expect Smith to shoot in to avoid the threat by attempting the the takedown.
We can easily see Dolidze cracking the damaged chin or piercing the mid-section with a body kick. He also has the grappling to take Smith down and wrap up a submission. However, Smith’s toughness and experience make him impossible to count out here.
We can see Smith piecing Dolidze up with his jab and clinching him up against the fence assuming some control time. If the Georgian begins to fade, we can also see Smith grind him down and eventually pounce on the back.
On paper, Dolidze is capable of a knockout or submission and Smith has a habit of causing the upset.
Prediction: Dolidze via KO/TKO
Value Bet: Smith to win
