ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion Mehdi Baidulaev (10-0 in ACA) will drop to featherweight for his next bout on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty. He will face undefeated Gadjimurad Aliyev (1-0 in ACA) in the contest.
Mehdi Baidulaev, the ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion, will make his featherweight debut on July 17 when he steps onto the card at ACA 205 in Almaty. His opponent will be undefeated prospect Gadjimurad Aliyev, in what shapes up as a notable test for both men at 145 pounds.
Baidulaev enters the bout having gone a perfect 10-0 inside the ACA, a run that earned him the organization's bantamweight Grand Prix title. Dropping a weight class represents a new chapter for the champion, who has yet to taste defeat in the promotion.
Aliyev, meanwhile, is unbeaten in his ACA career at 1-0 and will be looking to build on that debut win against one of the most accomplished fighters on the roster.
Why it matters
- Baidulaev's move to featherweight opens questions about his future at 145 pounds and his standing at bantamweight.
- A win for Aliyev over a Grand Prix champion would immediately elevate his profile in the ACA featherweight division.
- The bout takes place in Almaty, giving the event a home-crowd atmosphere that adds to the stakes for both competitors.
