ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion Mekhdi Baidulaev (10-0 in ACA) returns to action on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty, moving up to featherweight to face undefeated Gadjimurad Aliev (1-0 in ACA).
ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion Mekhdi Baidulaev is set to return to the cage on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he will step up to featherweight to take on undefeated prospect Gadjimurad Aliev.
Baidulaev enters the bout riding a perfect ten-and-zero record inside the ACA promotion, a run that includes his bantamweight Grand Prix title. The move to featherweight marks a notable shift in weight class for the champion, adding an extra layer of intrigue to his first appearance since claiming that title.
Aliev, meanwhile, brings his own unbeaten record into the matchup, sitting at one-and-zero in ACA competition. The young fighter will be stepping up to face one of the promotion's most accomplished bantamweights, making this a significant early test of his credentials as an undefeated prospect.
Why it matters
- Baidulaev's willingness to move up a weight class puts his unbeaten ACA record on the line against a fresh divisional challenger.
- Aliev's undefeated status will be severely tested against the most accomplished opponent of his short career.
- The featherweight setting means neither fighter carries a clear divisional home advantage, raising the competitive stakes for both men.
- ACA 205 in Almaty gives the promotion a high-profile headliner with two unbeaten fighters on a collision course.
