Marvin Vettori’s return to the Octagon since his last fight in July 2023 didn’t unfold quite the way he had hoped.
In a much-anticipated rematch at UFC Vegas 104, dubbed the middleweight headliner, “The Italian Dream” faced Roman Dolidze once again on Saturday night. Unlike their first encounter at UFC 286 in March 2023, where Vettori emerged victorious with a unanimous decision, this time he came up short after a grueling five-round battle.
During the fight, Vettori managed to shake Dolidze in the third round with some powerful blows. However, over the span of 25 minutes, it was Dolidze who consistently landed the more telling shots, ultimately tipping the scales in his favor.
Reflecting on the match via his Instagram Stories, Vettori shared, “Just dealing with some cuts and bruises, nothing too severe. It’s tough, you know? Sometimes, even when you give your all, it doesn’t pan out. It was close. I nearly had him in the third, but it just wasn’t enough.”
This marked Vettori’s first fight since a unanimous decision loss to Jared Cannonier at UFC on ESPN 47. In his quest for a new beginning, the former title contender recently shifted his training base to American Top Team.
Vettori expressed his thoughts candidly, “Man, I’m at a loss for words. Huge thanks to ATT, the best in the world. And to UFC, my gratitude knows no bounds. Really, what else can I say? That’s just how it is.”
As a previous challenger for the 185-pound title, Vettori has now experienced defeat in three of his last four outings in the Octagon. The 31-year-old fighter from Italy has built a track record of 9 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw since joining the UFC ranks in 2016.
