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

mma

Merab Dvalishvili Plots Historic Fourth UFC Title Defense Of 2025 Ahead Of UFC 320

Most UFC champions are happy to defend their belts twice a year. Some fighters barely manage once every twelve months. But Merab Dvalishvili isn’t most fighters. The Georgian bantamweight has already defended his title twice in 2025, and now he wants to make it four fights before the calendar flips.

Dvalishvili has been on an absolute tear since capturing the bantamweight crown from Sean O’Malley back in September 2024. The victory marked the end of O’Malley’s flashy reign and the beginning of something special for the wrestler from Georgia. What makes this run even more impressive is how he bounced back from early career struggles to become one of the most active champions in recent memory.

The ‘Machine’ nickname isn’t just for show. This guy operates like he’s powered by some endless energy source. After beating Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili turned around and submitted his old rival O’Malley in June. Now he’s eyeing Cory Sandhagen in October at UFC 320, but that’s not where his ambitious plans end.

Merab Dvalishvili’s Relentless Schedule

Most champions would take a nice vacation after three title fights in one year. Not Dvalishvili. He wants to squeeze in a fourth fight before 2025 wraps up, potentially against former champion Petr Yan. If he pulls this off, it would match his personal record of four fights in one year, something he last accomplished back in 2016 before he even reached the UFC’s bright lights.

Dvalishvili dropped his bold plans during a recent appearance on the Full Send podcast. He doesn’t want Petr Yan sitting around waiting for his shot at the title. The Georgian champion believes Yan deserves another crack at the belt after his recent winning streak.

“I want to turn around quick. I don’t overlook Cory Sandhagen, it’s gonna be a tough fight, but God willing, I’m gonna do my best to win this fight. And if I win, I’m gonna come back quick, turn around. I want to fight in December. I will ask the UFC [for] a favour to give me another fight in December or even November…I don’t care, I can come back, because Petr Yan is a clear contender right now. He deserves it, I don’t want to make him wait too long.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MMA Junkie (@mmajunkie)

This approach stands in stark contrast to champions who cherry pick opponents or take extended breaks between fights. Dvalishvili seems genuinely excited about staying active and giving deserving contenders their opportunities. Petr Yan has been building momentum with three straight wins after going through a rough patch with three consecutive losses. The former champion has looked sharp in recent outings, beating Marcus McGhee, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Song Yadong. A rematch between Dvalishvili and Yan makes perfect sense from both a sporting and business perspective.

(Image Credit: Vincent Carchietta – Imagn Images)

Cory Sandhagen

Merab Dvalishvili

Petr Yan

UFC 320

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!