Merab Dvalishvili is aiming for UFC historical past.
After defeating Sean O’Malley to assert the undisputed bantamweight world championship final 12 months, Dvalishvili upped the ante in 2025, efficiently defending his title in opposition to Umar Nurmagomedov, O’Malley in a rematch, and most just lately, Cory Sandhagen.
Subsequent, ‘The Machine’ will put his gold up for grabs for the fourth time in 11 months when he meets Petr Yan within the UFC 323 major occasion on Saturday, December 6.
With a win streak courting again to 2018, a slew of dominant performances in opposition to top-tier expertise, and a willingness to defend his belt greater than every other fashionable champion, it’s onerous to argue in opposition to Dvalishvili being 2025’s MMA Fighter of the Yr.
At the very least, that’s how play-by-play man Jon Anik sees it.
“Merab is only a demon, man,” Anik advised MMA Fighting. “He’s making an attempt to develop into the primary UFC champion ever to defend the belt 4 instances in a single 12 months. That’s insane. Probably the most drug-tested athlete within the sport this 12 months—and he’s as mentally robust as they arrive. He operates as his personal sports activities psychologist. Truthfully, it’s one of many biggest years we’ve seen from any fighter — and if he pulls it off, it’s onerous to argue it’s not the best 12 months in UFC historical past.”
Merab Dvalishvili might do what no different UFC fighter has ever achieved
By the point Dvalishvili steps contained in the Octagon in opposition to Yan, it’ll have solely been eight weeks since his five-round victory over Sandhagen at UFC 320. Ought to he come out on high, ‘The Machine’ will add one other file to his resume, turning into the primary fighter in promotional historical past to efficiently defend his belt 4 instances in a calendar 12 months.
Dvalishvili already holds a slew of information contained in the Octagon, together with the longest win streak in bantamweight historical past (14) and essentially the most takedowns in UFC historical past (117).
