Merab Dvalishvili Parents: UFC 316 Star Reveals Mother’s Worries During Fights

Per the reigning 135-pound champ Merab Dvalishvili himself, his mother would avoid seeing his matchup with Sean O'Malley, live at UFC 316.

Merab Dvalishvili Parents: UFC 316 Star Reveals Mother’s Worries During Fights

Merab Dvalishvili says mother won't be watching his UFC 316 title bout (Source: X)

Things have gone the Merab Dvalishvili way for the past year. Unless Sean O’Malley can put a dent any differently at UFC 316 PPV headliner, Merab Dvalishvili will have 13 consecutive fights and two title defenses under his reign. The only kink in that link is that his mother is usually late to the party, and watches the fallout much after his wins!

The Georgian “Machine” is a busy-body and went through a murderer’s row of top names like Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and also beat Jose Aldo. Then he snagged the bantamweight hardware in the second annual Noche UFC PPV last September and defended it at the UFC 311 PPV co-main against Umar Nurmagomedov, in the challenger’s timeline.

However, the UFC 316 star told Shakiel Mahjouri that his mother was high on prayers for his well-being, rather than watching the organized combat mayhem and seeing how her son excels. This is mere days after a video with his father, Amiran Dvalishvili, went viral.

My father, …We watch TV from, uh, …with other Georgians, but my mom usually, she’s praying, you know, not watching TV — and she watches after, after, you know.

Merab Dvalishvili to Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu)

He punctuated a dominant run in his last two performances and even defeated a previously undefeated challenger in Nurmagomedov. Recently, he even dumbed down the danger posed by the Dagestani scrambler.

The +255 underdog on the money line and upset winner Dvalishvili shut down the wrestling challenges en route to a UD title defense win (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). Dvalishvili’s run has never been short of stellar, mostly due to his cardio and one-sidedness in dominance.

Subsequently, the PPV headliner at Prudential Center in Newark could end up the same. However, his mother’s live reactions and joy are not something Dvalishvili can bank on while defending gold. That does not deter his plans to be an active champ throughout the year. The champ even recently gave himself a clean bill of health to go on to do just that.

Merab Dvalishvili offers update on toe and asserts UFC 316 not reminiscent of first Sean O’Malley domination

Barring two stiffy endings against Frankie Saenz and Ricky Simon, former Ring of Combat titleholder (ROC 58/59) and Sambo master Dvalishvili has had quite a run. The reigning UFC 135-pound champ put on a 10-fight streak against who’s who of the division to get his crack. Now, he has had two good title bouts, with the first one coming against former champ and astute striker Sean O’Malley.

According to Merab Dvalishvili, he is doing well before Sean O'Malley rematch
According to Merab Dvalishvili, he is doing well before Sean O’Malley rematch (Source: X)

He and his monster cardio output make his Machine moniker befitting. Dvalishvili hasn’t lost a fight in more than seven years. He already has a win over a 2024 Season Best ESPY Fighter to take the title and wasted no time in mounting a defense in three months as a champion. Those like play-by-play Jon Anik and even former rival Cejudo stick to it that he’s the bantamweight GOAT.

However, the prime barrage against his own success is Merab Dvalishvili himself! The 135-pound funnyman champ has had two stitches and three injuries in his last two title affairs. From hiding out from the California commission, or treating his grizzly brow-cut with garden-mower-sized scissors, his antics range far. Dvalishvili recently rang the bells again before UFC 316 fight week with a toe injury. However, he has said it’s all good now:

No more black and blue. Still a little fat, but it’s good, …I’m working. It’s a little pinky toe. It won’t be any problem. … That is how it was. But like my coach said, if it’s something important, I’m not going to post it. That was not important. Like I said, I have nine other toes and I’m good. … I was surprised how much reaction there was from people…[Team O’Malley] know what are my strongest ways, what are my weaknesses. They have a long camp and I’m waiting and I’m accepting the best version of Sean O’Malley. That’s my job to take this fight serious.

Merab Dvalishvili to media scrum, Thursday, at a Syndicate MMA open workout

Per FanDuel and SportsBetting.Ag, the Georgian champ is slated as a -310 favorite to have this one in the bag yet again. Sean O’Malley stands as a +250 betting underdog for UFC 316, with the tiles still shifting into fight week.

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