Where is Merab Dvalishvili from? All about 'The Machine's' ethnicity, nationality, and religion

Merab Dvalishvili is a 33-year-old professional mixed martial artist from Georgia. He was born on Jan. 10, 1991, in Tbilisi, Georgia. He competes in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is currently ranked second in the UFC bantamweight rankings.

'The Machine' is a Georgian national. When Dvalishvili turned 21, he moved to the United States since there weren't many reputable mixed martial arts organizations in Georgia. Under the guidance of coaches Ray Longo and Matt Serra, Dvalishvili honed his skills and entered the MMA scene.

Dvalishvili belongs to the Caucasian ethnic group, which is native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. He has spent his entire life as an Eastern Orthodox Christian, mostly attending the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Dvalishvili liked to practice Christianity in Georgia because of its long history of religious harmony within its boundaries. He would go there in his spare time from his training in Sambo, Judo, and Qartuli Chidaoba (traditional wrestling).

The Georgian competed in a number of promotions prior to joining the UFC, such as the Ring of Combat, where he earned a 7-2 record. He made his UFC debut on December 9, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega, where he lost to Frankie Saenz via split decision.

Dvalishvili currently holds a record of 16 wins and 4 losses (16-4-0) and is getting ready to take on Henry Cejudo, the former two-division champion, at UFC 298 on Feb. 17, 2024.

---

Merab Dvalishvili hesitates to fight under referee Marc Goddard's watch

Merab Dvalishvili recently made a candid statement about his disapproval of UFC referee Marc Goddard, implying that he was uncomfortable with the thought of Goddard calling his bouts. During an appearance on The MMA Hour, 'The Machine' spoke to Ariel Helwani and explained his concerns about the seasoned official. He said:

"Every time I see him, I don't know, I only scared of God, and every time I see him I don't know... Yes, they know who I am. You know, if he would be my referee, I'm gonna go and fight, but I have a feeling. I'm uncomfortable when I see him. I don't feel comfortable somehow that's my feeling."

Check out Merab Dvalishvili's comments below (54:18):

Dvalishvili claims that Goddard's manner of officiating prevents fighters from giving it their all in the cage. The phrase "markgoddardphobia" was created by Dvalishvili to express his discomfort, referencing previous fights, including the one against Ricky Simon in 2018, in which he believed Goddard interfered too soon.