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Dolidze moved back up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division to take on Reinier de Ridder (22-4) at UFC Sacramento. Dolidze shot for a takedown in the opening seconds, but de Ridder got the better of the Georgian in the wrestling exchange. The former One Championship titleholder then established top control and landed unanswered ground-and-pound to secure a stoppage in the opening round.
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Dolidze accepts criticism after his first-round loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC Sacramento
Dolidze has since released a statement addressing his loss to de Ridder. He is ready to admit that he let down his fans, especially from his home country, and acknowledges that failure is a part of the game.
“Hello. I know you are anxious — I was anxious too,” Dolidze wrote on Instagram. “But there is one thing I want to tell you: Failure is nothing to be ashamed of. I know today’s battle didn’t go well. I know many had different expectations of me, and I may have let you down. I am neither afraid to admit this nor do I shy away from it. I fight on behalf of Georgia, and when I win, your joy is my joy too. But when I lose—that, too, is part of the sport. No one enters the UFC with a guaranteed victory; every time, you face someone who is trying to defeat you.”
Dolidze is even ready to accept criticism and advice about his performance.
“You may criticize my fight,” he added. “You might say I made the wrong decisions or should have performed better; as an athlete, I accept this and will analyze it. I lost the fight. I did not lose my country, my dignity, or my path. See you in Georgia on Sept. 19.”
This was Dolidze’s (15-6) third straight defeat. Meanwhile, de Ridder rebounded from back-to-back losses at middleweight with the win over Dolidze.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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