Mehdi Baidulaev, the ACA bantamweight grand prix champion with a 10-0 record, will return to action on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty. He will move up to featherweight to face undefeated Gadzhimurad Aliev, who is 1-0 in ACA.
Mehdi Baidulaev, the reigning ACA bantamweight grand prix champion, will step up a weight class when he competes at featherweight on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Baidulaev carries a perfect 10-0 professional record into the bout and brings the prestige of the ACA bantamweight grand prix title with him as he tests himself against a larger field of opponents.
Standing across from him will be Gadzhimurad Aliev, who enters the contest undefeated and is 1-0 under the ACA banner. Aliev's unblemished record makes him an intriguing obstacle for a champion venturing into unfamiliar divisional territory.
Why it matters
- Baidulaev's move to featherweight raises questions about his long-term divisional home and whether a title run at 145 pounds is on the horizon.
- Both fighters arrive undefeated, meaning one perfect record will be on the line when they meet in Almaty.
- A strong performance by Baidulaev at the higher weight class could establish him as a legitimate featherweight contender within ACA.
- The bout gives Aliev a high-profile test against proven championship-level competition early in his ACA tenure.
