Jun 7, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES; Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) reacts after defeating Sean O’Malley (not pictured) in a bantamweight title fight during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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Merab Dvalishvili Gets The 2025 UFC Fighter Of The Year ESPY Award Among Other Champions!

Merab Dvalishvili gets the nod for the ESPY award for the year 2025 among other high level champions!

The ESPY Awards are a big deal in sports. Athletes dream of getting recognized by ESPN for their hard work and achievements. For UFC fighters, this recognition means even more because MMA still fights for mainstream acceptance. The sport has come a long way from its early days when people called it “human cockfighting.” Now, UFC champions compete alongside basketball legends and football stars for these prestigious awards.

This year’s UFC Fighter of the Year category was absolutely stacked with talent. Fans had Islam Makhachev dominating the lightweight division, Kayla Harrison making waves in women’s bantamweight, Merab Dvalishvili sitting on the bantamweight weight throne and Dricus Du Plessis holding down the middleweight crown. And when the dust settled, one of these fighters walked away with the award!

Merab Dvalishvili Takes The ESPY Crown

Merab Dvalishvili walked away with the ESPY award. The Georgian fighter beat out some seriously tough competition to claim this honor, and honestly, it’s hard to argue with the choice. What made the Georgian’s year so special wasn’t just that he won fights. The guy went on an absolute tear that had fans and critics alike taking notice. His journey started at UFC 306 in September when he finally got his shot at Sean O’Malley’s bantamweight title. That fight was at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and Dvalishvili made sure to put on a show that matched the venue’s grandeur.

Merab Dvalishvili

2025 ESPY Fighter of the Year 🏆 pic.twitter.com/M6lvw5ZLlm
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 13, 2025

The win over O’Malley was just the beginning though. Dvalishvili proved he wasn’t going anywhere by defending his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. That fight was a real test because Nurmagomedov came in with serious hype and an undefeated record. But Dvalishvili showed why champions are different from contenders. He weathered the storm and came back stronger when it mattered most.

Then came the rematch with O’Malley at UFC 316. This time, Dvalishvili didn’t just win; he finished the former champion. Three title fights in one award period is impressive enough, but winning all three while facing top-tier competitions just legendary. That’s champion material right there. The fact that he’s the only nominee who managed three title victories during the judging period probably sealed the deal for the voters.

The Competition Was Fierce But Merab Dvalishvili Stood Out

Looking at the other nominees makes Dvalishvili’s win even more impressive. Islam Makhachev had a solid year defending his lightweight title twice before moving up to welterweight. His wins over Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano were dominant performances that reminded everyone why he’s considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world.

Kayla Harrison brought her Olympic judo credentials to the UFC and immediately made an impact. Her victories over Ketlen Vieira and Julianna Pena to claim the women’s bantamweight title showed that her transition from PFL to UFC was seamless. Meanwhile, Dricus Du Plessis proved he belonged at the top by beating legends like Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland to keep his middleweight crown.

The Georgian champion now looks ahead to defending his title against Cory Sandhagen next. With this ESPY recognition under his belt, Dvalishvili has officially become as one of the sport’s biggest stars!

(Image Credit: Vincent Carchietta – Imagn Images)

Dricus Du Plessis

Islam Makhachev

Kayla Harrison

Merab Dvalishvili

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!