MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDERS
(#8) ROMAN DOLIDZE AND (#9) ANTHONY HERNANDEZ
HEADLINE AT UFC® APEX
UFC® returns to UFC APEX with a thrilling middleweight matchup featuring No. 8 ranked contender Roman Dolidze taking on No. 9 Anthony Hernandez in the main event. In addition, No. 7 ranked flyweight Alex Perez locks horns with No. 9 Steve Erceg.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DOLIDZE vs. HERNANDEZ takes place Saturday, August 9 in Las Vegas and will be available on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will air at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card airing at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.
UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon Girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.
Georgia’s Dolidze (15-3, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) looks for a second straight main event win. The battle-hardened veteran has wowed fans with dominant performances against notable names such as Marvin Vettori, Kevin Holland, and Anthony Smith. Dolidze now sets forth to defend his spot in the rankings by stopping Hernandez in impressive fashion.
Hernandez (14-2 1NC, fighting out of Dunnigan, Calif.) returns to action looking to build on his momentum and further his climb up the rankings. Currently on a seven-fight win streak, Hernadez has made an impact at 185pounds with highlight-reel finishes against the likes of Michel Pereira, Roman Kopylov, and Edmen Shahbazyan. Hernandez now aims to secure the biggest win of his career and position himself for a future shot at the division’s Top 5.
Perez (25-9, fighting out of Lemoore, Calif.) makes his way back to the Octagon with intentions of securing a win in the first bout of his 2025 campaign. The Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner has become a top-ranked contender by defeating formidable opponents such as Matheus Nicolau, Jussier Formiga, and Jordan Espinosa. Perez now looks to steal the show and deliver a performance to remember against Erceg.
Erceg (12-4, fighting out of Perth, Wester Australia) returns to competition looking for redemption. The former title challenger has made a quick impact at flyweight by taking out the likes of Matt Schnell, Alessandro Costa, and David Dvořák. Erceg now turns his attention to Perez as he looks for an empathic finish and find his path back to UFC gold.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- Andre Fili (24-12, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) squares off with Christian Rodriguez (12-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) at featherweight
- A bantamweight contest pits Dana White’s Contender Series signee Elijha Smith (8-1, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) against Road to UFC standout Toshiomi Kazama (11-4, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
- Dana White’s Contender Series bantamweight signees Miles Johns (15-3 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) and Jean Matsumoto (16-1, fighting out of Braganca Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil) square off
- No. 14 Joselyne Edwards (15-6, fighting out of Panama City, Panama) goes toe-to-toe with Priscila Cachoeira (13-6, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Middleweight fireworks are set as Eryk Anders (17-8 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) meets Christian Leroy Duncan (11-2, fighting out of Gloucester, England)
- An intriguing strawweight contest pits No. 8 ranked contender Iasmin Lucindo (17-6, fighting out of Fortaleza, CE, Brazil) against No. 12 Angela Hill (18-14, fighting out San Diego, Calif.)
- Julius Walker (6-1, fighting out Springfield, Miss.) takes on Rafael Cerqueira (11-2, fighting out of Salvador, BA Brazil) at light heavyweight
- Gabriella Fernandes (10-3, fighting out of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) and Julija Stoliarenko (11-9-2, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania) are set for a flyweight bout
For the latest information on bout announcements and additional information for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are subject to change.
About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 259 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 975 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.
About ESPN+
https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus/
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.