Merab Dvalishvili: record, style and what is next

Image: Margo Martin, public domain

Merab Dvalishvili, nicknamed The Machine, is a Georgian bantamweight and a former UFC champion. As of 30 September 2026 his professional record is 21-5, according to Wikipedia. He was born on 10 January 1991 in Vani, Georgia, moved to Tbilisi at nine and has trained with the Serra-Longo Fight Team on Long Island since relocating to the United States in his early twenties.

He lost the bantamweight title to Petr Yan by unanimous decision at UFC 323 on 6 December 2025, ending a reign that began on 14 September 2024. The UFC rankings updated on 29 September show Yan as champion, Dvalishvili as the number one contender and him ninth in the men's pound-for-pound table.

That is why his next fight matters more than most comebacks. He does not need to climb back: the UFC gave him a direct rematch, and on 24 October 2026 at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi he gets a third fight with the man who took the belt.

Dvalishvili wins by making every minute of a fight harder than the last. Sherdog's scouting report calls his blast double-leg one of the best in MMA and says he wins through relentless wrestling entries, clinch strength and non-stop pressure. He strikes sparingly against skilled strikers and in volume against others, but always with the next takedown in mind.

The numbers back it up. He holds the UFC record with 119 takedowns landed, according to Wikipedia, and set a single-fight record of 49 attempts against Yan in March 2023. Most of his wins are by decision, which is the point: the plan is to drain opponents over 15 or 25 minutes, not to find one big moment.

The same scouting report gives the ways to beat him. His left hook is described as telegraphed and lacking power, his kicks as average point-scorers, and his top control as improvable because he does not always manage hips and wrists. Opponents have also looked to catch him off balance when he throws wild strikes on the way in.

Yan's win in December suggests the answer is sharp striking plus takedown defence. Low Kick MMA's account of UFC 323 says Yan set the pace, landed accurate shots to the head and body, and defended takedowns while scoring some of his own.

Dvalishvili grew up with traditional Georgian wrestling, sambo and judo before he moved to the United States at 21 to fight professionally. He had a 7-2 record in the CFFC and Ring of Combat regional promotions before joining the UFC through Dana White's talent search, according to Wikipedia.

His start in the promotion was poor. He lost a split decision to Frankie Saenz in December 2017 and was submitted by Ricky Simon in April 2018. He then won 14 UFC fights in a row, the fourth longest streak in UFC history, taking in former champions along the way.

The run began with decisions over Terrion Ware, Brad Katona, Casey Kenney, Gustavo Lopez, John Dodson and Cody Stamann, then a second-round TKO of Marlon Moraes in September 2021. After that came a unanimous decision over Jose Aldo in August 2022, the first win over Yan in March 2023 and a decision over Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in February 2024.

Those wins earned a title shot at UFC 306 on 14 September 2024, where he beat Sean O'Malley over five rounds to take the bantamweight belt.

He defended the belt three times. He beat Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 on 18 January 2025, then submitted O'Malley in the third round of their rematch at UFC 316 on 7 June 2025. On 4 October 2025 he beat Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision at UFC 320.

UFC 323 was his fourth defence in 12 months, and the night it stopped working. Yan won a five-round unanimous decision, and Low Kick MMA reports that Dvalishvili's face was badly marked by the end. He has since said he had not trained specifically for Yan and went in injured.

In his own words on the trilogy, quoted by Low Kick MMA on 14 September: "In the last fight, I was trying to be different than I was. I was chasing his head too much." He says he will go back to attacking the body and mixing up his work.

His next fight is confirmed: Dvalishvili against Yan for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 on 24 October 2026 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, on a card that also lists Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev, according to Bleacher Report. Yan's record going in is 20-5, per Agent MMA. Dvalishvili won the first fight and lost the second, so this one decides the series.

A win would return the belt and confirm that the December result was a bad night, not a turning point. A loss would leave Yan with the series 2-1 and put Dvalishvili back in the contender queue, where O'Malley, Song Yadong, Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista sit behind him in the current rankings.

The stylistic question is unchanged. If he can get Yan down early and keep the pressure without chasing the head, the grinding approach still works. If Yan keeps him at range and stops the takedowns, the fight looks like UFC 323 again.

• UFC: Merab Dvalishvili athlete page
• UFC: Rankings
• Wikipedia: Merab Dvalishvili
• Sherdog: Scouting Report, Merab Dvalishvili
• Low Kick MMA: Merab Dvalishvili details key changes for UFC 333 Petr Yan trilogy
• Bleacher Report: UFC 333 fight card revealed
• Agent MMA: Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan trilogy set for UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi

What is Merab Dvalishvili's MMA record?

As of 30 September 2026 Merab Dvalishvili is 21-5. He won 14 UFC fights in a row before losing the bantamweight title to Petr Yan by unanimous decision at UFC 323 on 6 December 2025. His two earlier UFC losses came in 2017 and 2018.

Is Merab Dvalishvili still UFC champion?

No. Dvalishvili won the bantamweight title from Sean O'Malley on 14 September 2024 and lost it to Petr Yan on 6 December 2025. Yan is the current champion in the UFC rankings updated on 29 September 2026, and Dvalishvili is ranked as the number one contender.

When does Merab Dvalishvili fight next?

Dvalishvili fights Petr Yan for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 on 24 October 2026 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It is their third meeting: Dvalishvili won the first in March 2023 and Yan won the second in December 2025.

What is Merab Dvalishvili's fighting style?

Dvalishvili is a wrestler who wins through pace, pressure and takedowns. He holds the UFC record for takedowns landed, with 119 per Wikipedia, and most of his wins come by decision. Sherdog rates his blast double-leg among the best in MMA, while his left hook and kicks are weaker tools.

Who has Merab Dvalishvili beaten?

His wins include Jose Aldo in August 2022, Petr Yan in March 2023, Henry Cejudo in February 2024 and Sean O'Malley twice, by decision in September 2024 and by submission in June 2025. As champion he also beat Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen by decision.