ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion Mehdi Baidulaev (10-0 in ACA) will return to action on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty, moving up to featherweight to face undefeated prospect Gadjimurad Aliev (1-0 in ACA). The bout marks Baidulaev's first appearance since claiming the bantamweight Grand Prix title.
Mehdi Baidulaev is set to make his return to the cage on July 17 at ACA 205 in Almaty, stepping up to featherweight for a matchup against undefeated prospect Gadjimurad Aliev.
Baidulaev enters the bout riding the momentum of his ACA bantamweight Grand Prix title, which he claimed in his most recent outing. He carries a 10-0 record inside ACA competition, making him one of the promotion's most accomplished active fighters at 135 pounds. The Grand Prix victory cemented his standing as the standard-bearer of the bantamweight division, and his move up a weight class signals both ambition and confidence heading into the summer card.
Aliev brings a perfect 1-0 mark within ACA to the matchup, representing the kind of unbeaten prospect the promotion has looked to test against proven talent. With just one appearance on the ACA roster, little is established about his ceiling, but an unblemished record against a decorated champion immediately raises the stakes of his sophomore outing.
Why it matters
- Baidulaev is testing himself at featherweight for the first time, adding intrigue beyond a routine title defense
- A win for Aliev over an accomplished Grand Prix champion would fast-track his standing in the promotion
- The bout gives ACA 205 in Almaty a marquee domestic matchup anchored by two undefeated fighters within the promotion
- The result could shape how ACA positions Baidulaev going forward, whether back at bantamweight or building a featherweight run
