Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 109 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., Aug. 9, 2025) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC Vegas 109 features a middleweight main event between 185-pound standouts Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez, a five-round showdown with possible title implications for late 2025 and beyond.
Before we dive into the main and co-main events, which include the flyweight collision between 125-pound contenders Steve Erceg and Ode Osbourne, check out Andrew Richardson’s “X-Factor” breakdown for the rest of the UFC Vegas 109 main card by clicking here. Get all the latest “Dolidze vs. Hernandez” odds and betting props courtesy of FanDuel right here. For UFC Vegas 109 live results for this weekend’s “Sin City” fight card and ESPN lineup click here.
185 lbs.: Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez
Roman Dolidze
Record: 15-3 | Age: 37 | Betting line: +275
Wins: 8 KO/TKO, 3 SUB, 4 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’2” | Reach: 76” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.58 | Striking accuracy: 42%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.56 | Striking Defense: 49%
Takedown Average: 1.11 (40% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 33%
Current Ranking: No. 9 | Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Marvin Vettori
Anthony Hernandez
Record: 14-2, 1 NC | Age: 31 | Betting line: -345
Wins: 3 KO/TKO, 8 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6’0” | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.50 | Striking accuracy: 63%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.61 | Striking Defense: 46%
Takedown Average: 6.27 (45% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 66%
Current Ranking: No. 10 | Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Brendan Allen
Roman Dolidze turned 37 back in July and if he’s going to make a run at the middleweight title, it has to be now. I’m not sure how you would even describe “The Caucasian’s” (awful nickname) UFC run to date … he’s just kinda “there.” He managed to slug his way into the division Top 10 by winning three straight fights, but his strength of schedule during that span is nothing to brag about. Dolidze captured a decision win over a washed up Anthony Smith, forced a corner stoppage opposite Kevin Holland — a natural welterweight — and then outpointed a shopworn Marvin Vettori, who has not been the same since his snuff film against Jared Cannonier. Dolidze has three submissions in his career but zero under the UFC banner and I don’t expect that to change this weekend in “Sin City.” That said, it would be nice to see some of that power he displayed during his torrid run in 2022 when he racked up three straight wins by way of knockout. At the same time, his desire to land the killing blow has frequently come at the expense of his conditioning, which has to be a concern against a punishing wrestler in a five-round main event.
“I think we both deserve better opponents, higher ranked, but it is how is. I’m [happy] with the organization anyway, and if I’m [happy], I’m just taking what they offer,” Dolidze said at the UFC Vegas 109 media day. “He’s faced very good opponents, he’s a very good fighter, and he’s a very good person also. I met him yesterday in the hotel. I think he faced good opponents, but he never faced somebody with grappling like me. And we all know that he has good cardio and he loves to be on the ground and control people there, but I’m very active on the ground. I don’t give a rest to nobody.”
Anthony Hernandez had a pretty rough start to his UFC career, which began with an overturned victory on Dana White’s “Contender Series” — along with a six-month disciplinary suspension — as a result of marijuana metabolites, back when that moronic rule was still in place. Then”Fluffy” lost two of his first three fights inside the Octagon and seemed destined for Cutsville. Instead, Hernandez went on an incredible seven-fight winning streak with five nasty finishes. Like Dolidze, his level of competition was mediocre, at best, and you can argue that his unanimous decision victory over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle was his biggest win to date. That’s probably why Hernandez is seated one spot below “The Caucasian” at No. 10 in the official middleweight rankings. Another thing he has in common with Dolidze is three post-fight performance bonuses, though he differs greatly when it comes to offensive output. Hernandez has a staggering 6.27 takedown average per fight and has the most takedowns landed in middleweight history, recently surpassing former 185-pound champion, Chris Weidman, for the top spot.
“I watched his tape, and I’ve watched [Dolidze] fight a few times, too,” Hernandez told MMA Junkie. “Like I said, he’s a big f*cking brute, he moves forward, and he throws everything to knock you out. I think it’s going to make for a great f*cking fight. I’ve been getting tagged in stuff like, ‘You’re the dark horse.‘ A lot of people have been pissed that I’m at the Apex like, ‘No, f*ck that. I wanted to go see him,’ which is a f*cking blessing because now the fans are starting to get behind me. The true people that know martial arts, they know that I know my sh*t, so whatever, it will all work out soon.”
Dolidze has knockout power and will undoubtedly be a threat for as long as his gas tank holds fuel. At the same time, “The Caucasian” enters this contest with average takedown defense of 33 percent against the best (or perhaps most effective) wrestler in the history of the division. If Hernandez can keep his chin tucked and not do anything stupid for the first half of the fight, he’s likely to drain his opponent’s battery and then cherry pick how he wants to end the night.
Prediction: Hernandez def. Dolidze by submission
125 lbs.: Steve Erceg vs. Ode Osbourne
Steve Erceg
Record: 12-4 | Age: 30 | Betting line: -520
Wins: 2 KO/TKO, 6 SUB, 4 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 5’8” | Reach: 68” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.45 | Striking accuracy: 46%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.03 | Striking Defense: 52%
Takedown Average: 0.84 (26% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 63%
Current Ranking: No. 10 | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Brandon Moreno
Ode Osbourne
Record: 13-8, 1 NC | Age: 33 | Betting line: +390
Wins: 6 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 2 DEC
Height: 5’7” | Reach: 73” | Stance: Southpaw
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.20 | Striking accuracy: 40%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.82 | Striking Defense: 46%
Takedown Average: 1.11 (28% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 65%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Technical knockout win over Luis Gurule
Steve Erceg finds himself with a new opponent for this weekend’s fight card after matchmakers poached original foe, Hyun Sung Park, to save last weekend’s APEX main event. I’m not sure it’s fair to call Ode Osbourne a downgrade after watching Park get chewed up and spit out by Tatsuro Taira, but you have to imagine “Astro Boy” is feeling pretty confident after the sportsbooks pegged him as the -520 betting favorite. That might seem like a ludicrous line for a fighter coming off three straight losses, especially when his opponent just won by second-round knockout, but Erceg lost to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and former 125-pound titleholder Brandon Moreno by decision, while also getting stopped by ranked contender and former title challenger Kai Kara-France. It’s a pretty tall order for any fighter to face three of the best flyweights in the world after just three fights inside the Octagon but Erceg answered the call anyway and now has an opportunity to reestablish himself among the 125-pound elite — or at least keep himself ranked in the division Top 10.
“Of course, I feel the pressure,” Erceg said during UFC Vegas 109 media day. “Being in the UFC has been my dream forever. Being on a three-fight losing streak feels like I’m fighting for my contract now, and that’s not a nice place to be. If you dwell on that too much, it can be detrimental to your performance, so all I can control is what I do, and that’s what I’ll focus on. Honestly, I don’t think it matters what kind of performance; the result is the most important thing. I’m going to go out there and do my thing. If that means a spectacular finish, that’s awesome. If it means a less exciting stand-up, wrestling, or grappling affair, so be it. I’m going to do my best, and I know he’ll do his best, and we’ll see who the better man is.”
Ode Osbourne is coming off a win over “Contender Series” graduate Luis Gurule at UFC Vegas 105 back in April, which not only snapped a three-fight losing streak but may have also saved his job. Like Gurule, Osbourne also fought his way into UFC by way of Dana White’s proving ground but since his Season 3 appearance back in summer 2019, “The Jamaican Sensation” is just 5-6 and has been finished in five of those six losses. The promotion has a tendency to look favorably on fighters who live and die by the sword and Osbourne certainly fits the bill. He’s got good speed and solid kickboxing with competency on the ground but appears lost at times inside the cage, either giving away fights or failing to gameplan accordingly. I think at age 33, we shouldn’t expect any dramatic changes from Osbourne for this contest or those that follow it, which may not be such a terrible thing because one thing you won’t see from Osbourne is a boring fight.
“I’m just as blessed as Max Holloway, living the dream,” Osbourne told Cageside Press. “12 year-old me, a boy coming from Kingston, Jamaica, to being in the UFC on the red carpet, being on my fourth contract with the UFC. At one point, I was nine years old walking through the woods of Jamaica, I never would’ve thought that this would’ve been a possibility.I came from a third-world country. No hot water, no bathrooms inside. So I’m always happy because I appreciate the little things, and these are the big things, so it makes me even more happy. I think gratitude is one of the best qualities a person can have, waking up every day and being grateful. I try to be grateful every single day about the most I can.”
Erceg is surprisingly powerful despite his frame and is better on the ground. Osbourne will remain a threat for however long the fight is standing but I think brains beats brawn in this 125-pound co-main event. Look for a patient Erceg to pick his spots, stay patient, and trap “The Jamaican Sensation” in the second half of the fight.
Prediction: Erceg def. Osbourne by submission
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MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., Aug. 9, 2025, with UFC Vegas 109. That’s where No. 8-ranked Middleweight contender, Roman Dolidze, clashes with No. 10-seeded Anthony Hernandez in a high-stakes main event showdown scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. In UFC Vegas 109’s co-main event, former Flyweight title challenger, Steve Erceg, takes on Ode Osbourne, with both fighters looking to climb the 125-pound rankings.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 109 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 109 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here and here. For the updated and finalized “Dolidze vs. Hernandez” fight card and ESPN/ESPN+ lineup click here.
