Former UFC title challenger Marvin Vettori is back in the win column.
Vettori, the No. 4-ranked middleweight contender, defeated Roman Dolidze via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) at UFC 286 on Saturday in London.
Dolidze, ranked No. 9, had a strong start in what was his biggest test to date. He was aggressive and wobbled Vettori with a barrage of shots late in the first round.
But Vettori picked apart a slowing Dolidze in the second round, battering him with leg kicks and punches from the outside. The third round was very competitive and could've gone either way.
With the victory, Vettori defends his top-five position and halts Dolidze's impressive four-fight winning streak. The Italian fighter, who challenged Israel Adesanya for the 185-pound belt in 2021, was coming off a decision loss to former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC Paris last September.
