Prediction: Roman Dolidze Late finish or Decision
Fluffy’s whole game is built around pace. He overwhelms people. Even technically better strikers fade because they can’t keep up with how many exchanges they’re forced into. But that style only works because his grappling holds up. If he can’t get you down, chain attempts together, or stick to you like glue, that engine doesn’t hit the same. And this is exactly where Dolidze makes things messy.
People forgot Dolidze came up as a grappler. He’s not just strong—he’s smart in the scramble, heavy from top, and nasty in weird positions. You shoot on him and don’t get it clean, he’s locking your legs, rolling through, or putting you in danger while you’re trying to win the position battle. Hernandez isn’t going to just run through him and maul him like he did to Marc-André Barriault or Edmen Shahbazyan. Dolidze is a whole different kind of puzzle—he’s built, he’s physical, and he doesn’t panic when things hit the mat.
Early on, Dolidze is gonna be the stronger dude and if he can’t control Roman early, things flip. Without that wrestling edge, Fluffy is stuck striking. And that’s not his game. He’s got pressure and speed, sure—but Roman’s range, power, and timing make those traits less important when you’re walking into heat. The reason Dolidze looks “slow” is because every punch has intent. You feel it. He doesn’t need to throw a bunch—he just needs to land clean once or twice and you can see the whole fight start to shift.
And now with Roman switching over to Xtreme Couture, we’re seeing subtle improvements. His timing’s gotten sharper. He’s not just muscling shots—he’s landing them in rhythm. That power with cleaner setups? Dangerous combo, especially against a guy who’s gonna walk into range over and over again like Hernandez does.
So while Fluffy might be the favorite on paper because of volume and cardio, those tools only work if the grappling edge is there. Against Dolidze, it might not be. And if this becomes a striking match at mid-range where Hernandez can’t get the fight where he wants it? I’ll take the guy who hits like a truck, has underrated grappling of his own, and has the kind of physicality that neutralizes pressure. I’m riding with Dolidze.