Former MMA Series lightweight champion Dmitry Mikhailidi says he does not consider himself the loser in his fight with Nikita Barkhatov

Former MMA Series lightweight champion Dmitry Mikhailidi has addressed his loss to Nikita Barkhatov and suggested a rematch could be on the table.

Mikhailidi and Barkhatov met May 30 in Moscow at MMA Series-94. The lightweight title fight served as the main event of the evening, with Mikhailidi making the first defense of his belt and Barkhatov, the promotion’s featherweight champion, moving up in an attempt to claim a second title.

The bout went the full championship distance — five five-minute rounds. The judges awarded Barkhatov a unanimous decision, making him the first two-division champion in MMA Series history.

Speaking with Viktoria Itsekhovskaya on “Territory MMA-TV.COM,” Mikhailidi said his team disagreed with the judges’ verdict.

“We believe we didn’t lose that fight. That’s the least I can say. The first round was close — in terms of strikes, in terms of everything. In the second round, I rocked him. He didn’t throw a single strike in the final 40 seconds. We were walking him down and trying to finish him. In the third round, according to the stats, we outstruck him two to one. My corners were even telling me I was winning those three rounds,” Mikhailidi said.

According to Mikhailidi, even the most favorable scoring of the championship rounds for Barkhatov should not have resulted in a loss.

“On the scorecards, there was no way I should have lost. Even if they gave him the fourth round 10-8 and gave him the fifth as well, that’s at least a draw. So we don’t consider that we lost at all,” the former champion added.

Mikhailidi also hinted that the two could meet again inside the cage.

“You’ll all find out soon, I think. I can’t reveal anything yet. But I think the rematch will happen,” Dmitry said.

A potential fight would mark the third meeting between Mikhailidi and Barkhatov. In September 2020, Mikhailidi defeated Barkhatov by unanimous decision at RCC Intro 8. In May 2026, Barkhatov evened the score at MMA Series-94.