Merab Dvalishvili returns to Georgia with UFC title
Watch Dvalishvili’s heat reception beneath.
‘The Machine’ is a famous person! 💫@MerabDvalishvil receiving a hero’s welcome in Georgia 🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/gRHj6HR6sW
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 30, 2024
Dvalishvili is the second newly-crowned UFC champion of Georgian descent. Ilia Topuria completed Alexander Volkanovski in February to change into the UFC featherweight titleholder. Topuria returns subsequent month in his first title protection in opposition to Max Holloway.
Earlier than dethroning O’Malley, Dvalishvili received 10 consecutive fights, together with latest wins over former champions Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and José Aldo. In his win over Yan, Dvalishvili set the UFC report with 49 takedowns tried en path to a unanimous resolution.
Dvalishvili’s path to the UFC bantamweight championship wasn’t straightforward. He misplaced his first two UFC bouts in 2017 and 2018 in opposition to Frankie Saenz and Ricky Simón with each fights ending controversially.
Dvalishvili’s title shot was stalled by teammate Aljamain Sterling’s title reign. Regardless of requires the 2 bantamweights to battle one another, the Serra-Longo teammates refused to just accept a reserving.
Dvalishvili as soon as contemplated a transfer to flyweight earlier than Sterling’s loss to O’Malley at UFC 292. Nearly precisely one 12 months later, Dvalishvili received revenge for Sterling at UFC 306.
Dvalishvili and Topuria proceed to encourage many in Georgia and around the globe.
