Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland: Odds, full fight preview and prediction | UFC 307
by Andrew Richardson · MMAmania.comUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight sluggers Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland will battle this weekend (Sat., Oct. 5, 2024) at UFC 307 inside Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
At 36 years of age and having lost two of his last three, it doesn’t feel like Dolidze is going to put it all together and challenge for the title anytime soon. At the same time, the Georgian standout is an active finisher capable of fighting ranked opposition in two divisions, so there are still plenty of interesting fights available. Similarly, Holland’s Welterweight rebirth didn’t result in a title fight. Nowadays, “Trailblazer” is more interested in kicking necks and cashing checks, which explains this fairly random return to Middleweight slugfest.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland Betting Odds
- Roman Dolidze victory: +136
- Roman Dolidze via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
- Roman Dolidze via submission: TBD
- Roman Dolidze via decision: TBD
- Kevin Holland victory: -162
- Kevin Holland via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
- Kevin Holland via submission: TBD
- Kevin Holland via decision: TBD
- Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
How Dolidze Wins
Dolidze is unintentionally a very funny fighter. On the same evening, he’ll throw the sloppiest charging hooks you’ve ever seen, shoot a sloppy takedown, then perform the most intricate jiu-jitsu sequence of the year.
I think it’s safe to say Dolidze wants this fight on the canvas. He’s got the power to compete with Holland on the feet, but his opponent is the much cleaner boxer and will have a significant speed advantage. Fortunately, Holland was a lot easier to out-muscle at 185-pounds. That’s only likely to have grown more true since he shed some weight to make the Welterweight limit.
The focus here should be on corralling Holland to the fence using hooks and footwork. When Holland’s back foot has nowhere to go, Dolidze can look to change levels and get physical in the clinch. This is a match up of former Light Heavyweight vs. recent Welterweight, so there’s every chance that “The Caucasian” can simply overpower his opponent and dominate from top position.
How Holland Wins
I think Holland might actually be a better 185-pounder than Welterweight. In either division, his game — which consists mostly of the 1-2, random kicks, and nasty clinch work — is a little too shallow for the division’s elite. At Middleweight, however, he’s dealing with a bunch of slower, tired opponents who are less likely to be any good at wrestling.
That’s worth a size disadvantage!
Holland is going to be much faster than Dolidze, and his 1-2 stings everybody it touches, even very durable opposition like Marvin Vettori. Footwork will be key for him, as being able to move freely around the cage and stick those straight punches will be a priority. I’d also like to see Holland really aggressive with strikes when Dolidze pursues the clinch. He’s positively nasty with his elbows and knees from close quarters, and those shots could really convince Dolidze to avoid further takedown attempts.
If these two trade for three rounds, there’s little doubt who comes out on top.
Dolidze Vs. Holland Prediction
I think the betting odds are right on the money here. Though both men have clear avenues to victory, I favor Holland to successfully keep this standing by a small amount.
Obviously, it would be a big problem for “Trailblazer” to end up stuck on bottom, and we saw that happen against Marvin Vettori and Derek Brunson. Since then, however, there have been noticeable improvements to his defensive wrestling. In addition, Dolidze just isn’t that consistent of an offensive wrestler. The best fighters he’s successfully wrestled in the Octagon are ... Laureano Staropoli? John Allan?
Holland (likely) has what it takes to keep this one standing, and his right hand isn’t going to miss.
Prediction: Holland via decision
LIVE! Watch UFC 307 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
Championship Doubleheader! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sat., Oct. 5, 2024, with a pair of thrilling championship bouts at the helm. In UFC 307’s pay-per-view (PPV) main event, Light Heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, goes for his third successful title defense of 2024 when he collides with No. 8-ranked contender, Khalil Rountree Jr., in a battle of ferocious knockout artists. Meanwhile, in UFC 307’s championship co-headliner, women’s Bantamweight roost-ruler, Raquel Pennington, defends against former titleholder and No. 1-seeded contender, Julianna Pena, in a grudge match dating back to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 more than one decade ago. UFC 307 will also feature the return of former pound-for-pound great, Jose Aldo, as well Kayla Harrison, Kevin Holland and so much more! It’s must-watch action from “SLC!” UFC 307’s start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (Prelims card) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).
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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 307 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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