Merab Dvalishvili is a popular professional mixed martial artist who is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Dvalishvili competes in the bantamweight division, where he is the reigning champion with a record of 18 wins and 4 losses in MMA, as of December 2024.
Merab Dvalishvili, besides being a mixed martial artist, also competed as a professional grappler. He was the runner-up in the World Sambo Championships in South Korea in 2019. He also competed in combat sambo at 68 kilograms, where he was defeated in the finals by Stepan Kobenov. Dvalishvili headlined the Fury Pro Grappling 2 on October 29, 2021, against Kevin Dantzler and lost by unanimous decision.
Merab Dalishvili's takedowns against Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili attempted a UFC-record 49 takedowns against Petr Yan and succeeded 11 times. The duo faced each other at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili where Dvalishvili created history by attempting 49 takedowns against Yan in a high-octane showdown between the two. He surpassed Cain Velasquez's earlier UFC record of most takedowns (33).
Merab Dvalishvili's winning streak in UFC
Merab Dvalishvili is on an 11-fight-winning streak in the UFC as of December 2024. He was last defeated by Ricky Simon in 2018 and has ever since won all the fights he has been a part of until 2024. Merab Dvalishvili currently holds a professional mixed martial arts record of 18 wins and 4 losses.
Moreover, the 33-year-old bantamweight champion is set to face the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title defense on January 18, 2025, at UFC 311.
Also read: Merab Dvalishvili's next fight
FAQs on Merab Dvalishvili
A. He has an active winning streak of 11 fights as of December 2024.
A. He broke Cain Valasquez’s record of 33 attempted takedowns.
A. He scored 11 takedowns from 49 attempted takedowns against Petr Yan.
A. He has a professional MMA record of 18 wins and 4 losses, as of December 2024.
A. He competes in the bantamweight division.
