The UFC bantamweight division has become UFC’s hotbed of excitement in recent years. Once overlooked in favor of heavier weight classes, these 135-pound warriors now consistently deliver the most thrilling contests in the promotion. Merab Dvalishvili captured the title from Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in a dominant performance that shocked many observers.<\/p>
His first defense came quickly, facing the undefeated Dagestani phenom Umar Nurmagomedov in January at UFC<\/a> 311. The matchup pitted Dvalishvili’s relentless pace against Nurmagomedov’s technical grappling pedigree in what many considered a nightmare stylistic challenge for the champion. But he got the win in a dominant fashion, and this came with an “injury” update from Nurmagomedov as well.<\/p>