Roman Dolidze Bemoans Jared Cannonier & Others Pulling Out Of Past Fights: 'I Never Step Back!'

UFC middleweight contender Roman Dolidze says it's not in him to withdraw from fights like Jared Cannonier and some of his other planned opponents.

Dolidze is set to get his year underway after a frustrating 2023 under the UFC banner. While he entered it on the back of an impressive finish of Jack Hermansson, he was unable to jump into the top five at the expense of Marvin Vettori, who edged out a decision in their UFC 286 clash.

Despite his best efforts, that ultimately turned out to be the Georgian's sole appearance inside the Octagon last year. But that wasn't through lack of trying on Dolidze's part.

In addition to accepting publicly confirmed bouts against Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier, "The Caucasian" claims other potential bouts also fell through due to issues or refusals on the side of his opponents.

For Dolidze, not making it to fight night is "not in my mind."

Dolidze On Opponents Withdrawing: 'Maybe They're Trying To Find The Easiest Way'

During a recent pre-fight interview with E. Spencer Kyte for UFC.com, Dolidze looked ahead to his long-awaited return to action, which will come in the form of a UFC Fight Night main event opposite Nassourdine Imavov this weekend.

The Georgian standout looked back on a string of failed matchups, which included a clash with Brunson that fell away when the veteran signed for the PFL instead.

Despite other factors such as injuries being part and parcel of the sport, evidenced by the torn MCL that forced Cannonier out in late 2023, Dolidze sees withdrawing as the "easiest way."

"I came here for a fight in August — I won’t say who this fight was supposed to be — and the guy declined," Dolidze said. "After that, another in September. After that, Derek (Brunson) declined fighting in September or October; he asked October or November. I was supposed to fight in December, but another something happened.

"Listen, I didn’t speak about this and I don’t want to say nothing bad, but it’s not only them that have injuries and problems in their preparation," Dolidze continued. "I always have a lot of injuries and something happening with me, but I never step back; I’m always ready. I never step back; it’s not in my mind. Maybe they’re trying to find the easiest way, the smartest way, but everybody has problems. I’m not here to mess around."

Nevertheless, having moved past a disappointing 2023, Dolidze will look to bounce back this year and revitalize his championship ambitions, starting at the expense of the highly touted Imavov at the Apex on Saturday.