Merab Dvalishvili etched his name in UFC history at UFC 311, where he shattered Georges St-Pierre’s all-time takedown record. In the co-main event, the Georgian bantamweight displayed relentless pressure and dominant wrestling against Umar Nurmagomedov. Despite a tough start, Dvalishvili outclassed his opponent in the later rounds, securing both the victory and a place in the record books.
To break St-Pierre’s record of 90 takedowns, Dvalishvili needed six takedowns. By the final bell, he had surpassed the previous record, solidifying his position as one of the promotion's greatest-ever grapplers.
Recently, Dvalishvili and St-Pierre met at UFC Vegas 104, where the new record-holder expressed his gratitude to the legend. Dvalishvili shared his thoughts with St-Pierre, saying:
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“It’s crazy! It was your record. Now it’s my record.”
In response, St-Pierre graciously responded:
“Yeah, congratulations! You do it better than anyone. You’re the king at this, man.”
Check out the interaction between the two fighters below:
Fans quickly reacted to the respectful exchange on social media. One user wrote:
“This is awesome to see out of GSP. Like always nothing but class from the man.”
Another added:
“Merab must move to featherweight to complete his legacy.”
Check out some of the fan reactions below:
![Fans react to the interaction between Merab Dvalishvili and Georges St-Pierre. [Screenshots courtesy: X]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/77676-17420908453463-1920.jpg 1920w)
Merab Dvalishvili on potential opponent for next outing
Merab Dvalishvili has outlined his plans for 2025, revealing that his next UFC bantamweight title defense is likely to take place in June against either Sean O'Malley or Petr Yan. The announcement came during a press conference in Georgia, as reported by local MMA journalist ‘She Loves The Gloves'.
According to the journalist, there are no video recordings of the event, but a Georgian article confirms Dvalishvili’s statements:
"@MerabDvalishvili is holding a press-conference in Georgia right now. He says the UFC is planning for his next fight to happen in June, with either Petr Yan or Sean O'Malley being his opponent. He then would like to fight the next contender in NY in November."
Check out the post below: