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- What: UFC Vegas 85 Main Event
- Who: Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov
- Date: Saturday, February 3, 2024
- Location: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV
- Time: Prelims (4:00 p.m. ET) PPV Card (7:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
A notable middleweight contest headlines the next UFC Fight Night event. In that matchup, which takes place on Saturday, February 3, from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the No. 8 fighter in the official UFC middleweight rankings, Roman Dolidze, faces the No. 11 ranked Nassourdine Imavov. Here is some information on Dolidze vs. Imavov before we discuss the betting breakdown for the UFC Vegas 85 fight card.
Roman Dolidze (12-2) saw his run of four straight wins and three consecutive knockouts end in March 2023 when former UFC middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori defeated him via unanimous decision. Before that loss, the 35-year-old Dolidze scored three straight “Performance of the Night” bonuses for his knockouts of Kyle Daukaus, Phil Hawes, and Jack Hermansson.
Nassourdine Imavov (12-4-0-1) is winless in his past two outings. The 28-year-old was on a three-fight winning streak when he was booked to face Kelvin Gastelum. Gastelum withdrew from that fight, and in his place stepped Sean Strickland. That battle took place at light heavyweight, with Strickland winning by unanimous decision. Imavov returned to 185 for a June scrap with Chris Curtis, but an accidental clash of heads, which left Curtis unable to continue, resulted in that fight ending in a no contest. Imavov’s most recent win was a September 2022 unanimous decision over Joaquin Buckley.
Before we look at the best bets for the Dolidze vs. Imavov matchup on the UFC Vegas 85 card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find the best odds on all the UFC fights.
UFC Vegas 85 Main Event: Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |
| Roman Dolidze | +137 | +130 | +130 | +130 |
| Nassourdine Imavov | -157 | -155 | -160 | -160 |
Roman Dolidze betting breakdown
Roman Dolidze fought well against Marvin Vettori in March, but he fell short on the scorecards, mainly because he couldn’t sustain the effort and pace he put forth in the first stanza of that three-round battle. Look for the betting underdog in the UFC Vegas 85 main event to correct those mistakes against Nassourdine Imavov.
Dolidze is a pressure fighter. The 35-year-old moves forward and throws the majority of his punches with full power. That approach sapped his energy against Vettori and left him flat-footed but still pushing ahead, when the final horn sounded in that battle. Dolidze targets the head often, primarily via powerful hooks. His heavy-handed style has led to seven career knockout wins, but it also opens him up to counters from opponents with fast hands, as his hooks provide time and space. Dolidze also fights with a low guard, which can be dangerous against an adversary with good timing and quick strikes.
Dolidze is the kind of fighter who can get his foe to fight his type of fight, which is a slugfest. He plays to his opponent’s ego to get him to engage in that type of war, as Dolidze fights with power in mind and not technical skills.
Dolidze has never been stopped in his career, and he is confident in his chin.
Nassourdine Imavov betting breakdown
Nassourdine Imavov enters this fight with two disappointing outcomes in his past two outings. The 28-year-old was the betting favorite in each of those bouts, but he lost a five-round decision to Sean Strickland at light heavyweight, and his bout opposite Chris Curtis got called after an unintentional head clash left Curtis unable to continue. Imavov is also the betting favorite at UFC Vegas 85.
Imavov is a technical striker with fast hands, a good jab, an effective straight right, and strong kicks. He mixes up his targets and techniques well, and his stance and style allow him to mask his takedown attempts effectively. He is also deceptively strong on the ground, with the ability to control his opponent and work toward submissions. His fast hands allow him to pierce the guard of an unsuspecting foe. Imavov has the hallmarks of a fighter who can follow and execute a game plan. He is not someone to be goaded into a striking war, and his experience of going five rounds with a fighter like Strickland, who sets a fast pace and continuously moves forward, should serve him well against Dolidze, who faded in his most recent three-round outing.
While Imavov is best at distance thanks to his kickboxing approach, he is also effective in the clinch thanks to his ability to control things on the fence and sneak in fast and powerful elbows when his adversary is not expecting those strikes.
Imavov’s only stoppage setback came via submission in his pro debut.
Best Bets: UFC Vegas 85 Main Event – Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov
This is a tough fight to pick. Dolidze has power, and Imavov can be hit, especially by a fighter who pushes forward like Dolidze. However, Dolidze is open to leg kicks, body kicks, and fast jabs, which are all skills Imavov brings with him into the fight. Dolidze’s cardio is also suspect, which is something Imavov can exploit. Another significant advantage the betting favorite has in this matchup is that he won’t let his ego get the best of him.
Dolidze is a live betting underdog because of his power, so there is some betting value in placing a wager on him to win via knockout, but my betting pick is for Imavov, the betting favorite, to get the victory via decision.
Best UFC Vegas 85 Main Event Betting Pick: Nassourdine Imavov to win by decision.
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