Merab Dvalishvili is the bantamweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as of December 2024. He has been a professional mixed martial artist since 2014 and has fought in multiple professional mixed martial arts promotions before making his way into the UFC. Merab Dvalishvili is an experienced fighter and has been a part of 22 professional mixed martial arts bouts since his debut.
Merab Dvalishvili made his professional debut on January 24, 2014, in a professional mixed martial arts promotion at Ring of Combat 47 against Darren Mima. Merab endured the three rounds of the fight but ended up coming up short as Mima defeated him via a majority decision. Dvalishvili recovered from his loss in his next bout and defeated Dennis Dombrow to register his first professional win by a third-round TKO. Initially, Merab Dvalishvili struggled to find his footing in his professional career, as a result of which he lost his second fight in his third professional outing against Ricky Bandejas at CFFC 43 by a unanimous decision. He ultimately gained momentum and piled up six straight victories to his credit, clearing his way towards the UFC. Moreover, Merab Dvalishvili has so far beaten some of the best names in his division while fighting in the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts promotion.
Merab Dvalishvili's next fight-opponent, date, location
Merab Dvalishvili is scheduled to take on Umar Nurmagomedov on January 18, 2025, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, United States. The UFC bantamweight championship bout will be featured as the co-main event of UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan. Moreover, the fight will mark, Dvalishvili's first title defense as a bantamweight champion, after winning the gold in September 2024.
| Stats | Merab Dvalishvili | Umar Nurmagomedov |
| MMA record | 18-4-0 | 18-0-0 |
| Last fight | Win | Win |
| Win streak | 11 | 18 |
| Age | 33 years old | 28 years old |
| Country | Georgia | Russia |
| Reach | 68 in | 69 in |
| Leg reach | 38 in | 39 in |
| Takedown accuracy | 36% | 50% |
| Takedown defense | 80% | 100% |
| MMA debut | 2014 | 2016 |
Merab Dvalishvili's last fight
In his most recent showdown, Merab Dvalishvili locked horns with the former UFC bantamweight champion, Sean O' Malley at UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, United States on September 14, 2024. Dvalishvili won the five-rounder via a unanimous decision by the judges' scorecard and became the new UFC bantamweight champion.
Also Read: Where was Merab Dvalishvili born?
FAQs on Merab Dvalishvili
A. He has a professional MMA record of 18 wins and 4 losses as of December, 2024.
A. Merab Dvalishvili will face Umar Nurmagomedov in his upcoming fight.
A. The duo will fight on January 18, 2025.
A. He has a professional MMA record of 18 wins and no losses, as of December 2024.
A. He made his professional debut on January 24, 2014.
