Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili was born on January 10, 1991, in Vani, a village in Soviet Georgia. He grew up in independent Georgia and moved to Tbilisi, the capital, at age nine. Dvalishvili began his training at a young age, specializing in traditional Georgian wrestling (kartuli ch’idaoba), traditional Georgian fighting (khridoli), sambo, and judo for self-defense. At 21, he moved to the United States with the goal of becoming a professional MMA fighter. In the U.S., he commenced training under Ray Longo and Matt Serra, laying the groundwork for his professional career. His early MMA career started in 2014, where he competed in various promotions such as CFFC and Ring of Combat, ultimately amassing a record of 7 wins and 2 losses before securing a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Dvalishvili’s UFC journey began with two losses. However, he quickly demonstrated his resilience and skill, embarking on a remarkable 14-fight win streak, which is the fourth longest in UFC history. During this period, he defeated several prominent fighters, including former champions such as José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and Sean O’Malley. His persistent pressure, exceptional cardiovascular fitness, and grappling dominance became defining characteristics of his fighting style. In July 2025, he was ranked #3 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings, showcasing his elite standing in the sport.

His career reached its pinnacle on September 14, 2024, when he faced Sean O’Malley for the UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 306, winning the title by unanimous decision. This victory made him the first Georgian-born champion in UFC history. Dvalishvili successfully defended his title three times in the calendar year 2025: against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, in a rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, and against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. He currently holds the record for most takedowns landed in UFC history with 117, highlighting his strategic use of grappling to control fights. Dvalishvili is scheduled to rematch Petr Yan at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, aiming to become the first UFC champion to defend a title four times in a single calendar year.