What comes to your mind when we say the words ‘relentless’ and ‘unforgiving’ in the world of MMA grappling? Well, history has been witness to many vaunted wrestlers over the years with Mark Coleman starting in the late 90s what is now known as ‘ground and pound’. Over the years, that legacy has been taken forward by the likes of Daniel Cormier, Georges St-Pierre, Randy Couture, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. ‘The Eagle’ in particular was the personification of what it meant to “smash” someone and soak the life out of his opponents. But what if we tell you that there is another fighter from the ‘mountains’, not from Dagestan but from the peaks of Georgia that has taken over the sport as perhaps the best 135fer in history? We are of course talking about the reigning bantamweight king, Merab Dvalishvli!
And let us elucidate our claim with an interesting stat. As shared by ‘The Machine’ himself on Instagram, Dvalishvili has shot an unbelievable 121 takedowns in his last 5 bouts which is 7 more than Nurmagomedov’s all-time takedown number of 114 in his 13 UFC outings. Crazy right? Moreover, the reigning champ is now considered a kryptonite for Dagestani wrestling by the fans after his stellar last performance against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. And he’s not shying away from taking a dig at the undefeated legend.
For context, Nurmagomedov’s reign over the lightweight division remains one of the most dominant in UFC history. The 29-0 legend left carnage in his way whether it was Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, or his final opponent in the form of Justin Gaethje. Yet, despite his legendary status, some critics argue that Nurmagomedov retired too soon, leaving questions about how he would have fared against the new wave of contenders. One of the most vocal among these critics is the current bantamweight champion.
Recently, Dvalishvili expressed his belief that Khabib’s reign appeared invincible largely because he didn’t face opponents capable of challenging his sambo-style wrestling. According to the champ, Khabib’s dominance was not only a product of his exceptional skills but also a result of a lack of formidable grapplers during his era.
As reported by Championship Rounds (h/t Europop) on X, Dvalishvili revealed, “Dagestanis are really good fighters. They have always excelled in martial arts… But at the same time, they are ordinary people, heavenly forces do not help them. They are ordinary athletes and others can defeat them, as you saw in my case. Khabib went undefeated, but he simply did not meet a worthy opponent.”
Merab Dvalishvili on Dagestani fighters:
“Dagestanis are really good fighters. They have always excelled in martial arts… But at the same time, they are ordinary people, heavenly forces do not help them.
They are ordinary athletes and others can defeat them, as you saw in my… pic.twitter.com/5SVmFFwRm8
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 15, 2025
Merab Dvalishvili made a bold statement at UFC 311 by defeating Umar in the co-main event—a fight where many doubted him, including both fans and experts. Entering as the underdog, the Georgian machine of violence delivered the performance of his life, shattering the invincible aura surrounding ‘The Young Eagle.’
Now, as the bantamweight champion, Merab is rumored to face former champ Sean O’Malley in a highly anticipated rematch. While the promotion is likely to push for this blockbuster fight, there’s also speculation that Umar may be just one win away from earning another shot at the title.
Who is next for Merab Dvalishvili?
Merab Dvalishvili’s comments about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy may not shake Khabib himself, but they’re likely to ruffle some feathers, especially for his cousin. After all, he just missed out on claiming the gold and recently suffered his first professional loss. That weight of losing his undefeated record must be hitting the ‘Young Eagle’ pretty hard right now.
The way UFC is shaping Merab’s future should be an indication that they are going to square them up sooner than we’re expecting. To be honest, an immediate rematch with Umar would’ve been a much better move for the promotion as there are many more personal things on the line, not just the esteemed championship gold belt.
According to MMA insider Kevin K on X, we are almost certain to see Sean O’Malley against ‘The Machine’ in an immediate rematch as the main event of UFC 316, the co-main event being Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight championship. Earlier this month, Dvalishvili was present at Dana White’s Power Slap 12 event in Las Vegas, where he revealed the possibility of the rematch against O’Malley to Clockandloaded, “It’s happening, yeah. I don’t know about a time yet, but it’s happening.”
On another note, we might see #3-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov going up against #2-ranked Petr Yan in a title eliminator match. The winner of that showdown may very well earn a shot at the coveted division crown. What do you think about Merab’s comment on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s professional career? Please let us know in the comment box below.
The post Merab Dvalishvili Humiliates ‘Ordinary’ Khabib Nurmagomedov Citing Lack of ‘Worthy’ Challenges appeared first on EssentiallySports.