Merab Dvalishvili actually is a Machine.
On Saturday, Dvalishvili efficiently defended his UFC bantamweight title for the second time, submitting Sean O’Malley of their rematch in the principle occasion of UFC 316. The win was the thirteenth consecutive victory for Dvalishvili, and arguably essentially the most dominant efficiency of the champion’s profession, one thing Dvalishvili places all the way down to his rising confidence as champion.
“First time, I mentioned, this one I used to be preventing for the belt,” Dvalishvili mentioned on the UFC 316 post-fight press convention. “I wished to win this. I do know I used to be profitable, and I don’t danger it an excessive amount of. I wished to only seize it one time. I simply wished to win one time. Now, I danger — not danger, however I play extra open. I wished to win the primary time, particularly towards a harmful opponent like Sean O’Malley.”
Dvalishvili’s extra aggressive type definitely paid dividends as “The Machine” recorded simply his second end within the UFC – and his first submission. Maybe extra impressively, it was additionally a particular submission, a modified north-south choke with a ninja choke grip, which Dvalishvili want to have named after himself.
“I don’t know title, sorry. However I’m hitting this choke within the fitness center, often in jiu-jitsu,” Dvalishvili mentioned. “ [Dvalishvili’s coach] John Wooden was at all times begging me to, within the sparring, hit extra submissions. I by no means complained as soon as, as a result of in sparring we’ve large, puffy gloves, we’ve wraps, it’s very arduous to assault … I don’t even strive in sparring, however in jiu-jitsu I do that. I used to be doing it in coaching, so now I did [it]. … Hey, let’s name it ‘Machine Choke!’”
At 13 consecutive wins, Dvalishvili is getting into rarified air in UFC historical past, with some followers already declaring him the bantamweight GOAT. And whereas he’s already had two fights in 2025, Dvalishvili hopes to maintain constructing that resume sooner quite than later, and he’s received his eyes on his subsequent goal already: Cory Sandhagen.
“Prime of my head, he’s the perfect, deserving man on this division proper now,” Dvalishvili mentioned. “Particularly he was preventing at all times the perfect of the perfect. He’s an organization man, a really respectful man, arduous employee man, tremendous proficient, tremendous good, and I feel he deserves essentially the most. And if the UFC needs, I’m completely satisfied. I wish to be busy.”
