ACA bantamweight Grand Prix champion Mehdi Baidulaev (10-0 in ACA) returns to action on July 17, moving up to featherweight to face undefeated Gadjimurad Aliev (1-0 in ACA). The bout takes place at ACA 205 in Almaty.
Mehdi Baidulaev will step back inside the cage on July 17, moving up a weight class to take on undefeated prospect Gadjimurad Aliev at ACA 205 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Baidulaev enters the contest as one of ACA's standout performers, carrying a perfect 10-0 record inside the promotion and holding the ACA bantamweight Grand Prix title. The move to featherweight marks a new chapter for the unbeaten champion, who has built his reputation across a lengthy undefeated run in one of Europe and Asia's premier MMA organizations.
Aliev brings his own unblemished slate into the matchup, sitting at 1-0 in ACA. While his promotional resume is still in its early stages, he arrives with nothing to lose and the opportunity to announce himself against one of the organization's most decorated fighters.
Why it matters
- Baidulaev is stepping up in weight, testing whether his dominance at bantamweight translates to featherweight competition.
- A loss for Baidulaev would be the first of his ACA career and put his Grand Prix champion status in question at the higher division.
- A win for Aliev would represent a massive statement victory, elevating an unbeaten newcomer into the featherweight conversation immediately.
- The Almaty setting adds regional significance, with ACA continuing to spotlight Central Asian talent on home soil.
