Merab Dvalishvili Title Fight Eyed by 2025’s Most Controversial UFC Fighter

Controversial featherweight fighter wants to fight Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight belt.

Merab Dvalishvili Title Fight Eyed by 2025’s Most Controversial UFC Fighter

Merab Dvalishvili gets a callout from Bryce Mitchell (via Imago)

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Merab Dvalishvili is currently one of the most dominant champions on the entire UFC roster with unmatched relentless pressure. The reigning bantamweight king has already defended his UFC title on two separate occasions and looked absolutely unbeatable both times. Recently, he has been officially scheduled for his next title defense against top contender Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. 

Going into the bout, Dvalishvili is the clear favorite because of his unmatched dominance against elite-level UFC strikers so far. He has repeatedly proven that his relentless wrestling and suffocating pressure are too much for legends like Jose Aldo and Henry Cejudo. According to ex-featherweight fighter, Bryce Mitchell, he is the right contender to stop Dvalishvili’s dominating run.

I think it needs to be spiced up a little bit. It just needs somebody like me in there to shake things up, and I can almost promise you I’m going to shake things up… They need something exciting right now because let’s be honest: Nobody’s going to beat Merab. Who’s going to beat Merab? You’re going to have to call somebody that can beat him because right now literally nobody can beat Merab. So they’re going to realize that they need a guy like me. Here I am. Call me.

Bryce Mitchell via MMA Junkie

Mitchell also mentioned that at the upcoming Las Vegas event at UFC 320, Dvalishvili will definitely beat Sandhagen. The fighter shared that it would soon get boring for fans to see the Georigan powerhouse consistently win without much struggle. The controversial American fighter has promised to shake up the division and bring in more entertainment for the fight fans by becoming the new champion. 

Mitchell has been inconsistent in the UFC featherweight division, recently losing his last fight to Jean Silva at UFC 314. On top of his struggles in the octagon, he has sparked major backlash for making incredibly controversial comments about Adolf Hitler. He brought in much controversy for the UFC in 2025 with his antisemitic stances. As such, UFC CEO Dana White publicly condemned him in a press conference.

The remarks quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism and raising concerns about Mitchell’s public behavior and overall mental state. Nevertheless, for him to fight in the bantamweight division, ‘Thug Nasty’ will probably have to fight the top-ranked fighters. To begin with, Mitchell will need to handle Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Abu Dhabi this weekend in his bantamweight debut.

How Merab Dvalishvili ended the Dagestani dominance in the UFC

Dagestani wrestling dominated the UFC for years, beginning with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s unstoppable ground game and legendary undefeated championship reign. The legacy continued as Islam Makhachev took over the lightweight division, showcasing the same suffocating grappling and high fight IQ.

Umar Nurmagomedov was next in line to maintain the Dagestani dominance with flawless technique, unbeaten streak, and relentless pressure. However, the hype was recently crushed when Merab Dvalishvili dominated Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, neutralizing his wrestling and overwhelming him completely.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (via X)

The ‘Machine’ toyed with the Dagestani, even taunting and emoting during rounds, showing complete control and mental dominance throughout the fight. Following the loss, Khabib expressed devastation, revealing how difficult it was for Umar to process the defeat.

It was tough finding the right words. I prefer that they get through those situations on their own. He’ll come out stronger if he makes it through. If he doesn’t, it means he was never on the level to be a champion. 

Khabib Nurmagomedov via Adam Zubaraeyv

Since then, Dvalishvili has also beaten his old rival Sean O’Malley in a title rematch at UFC 316 impressively. The Georgian fighter remains the most active current champion, competing three times in a single year and defending his belt twice successfully.

If he can get past Cory Sandhagen later this year, he will have a similar title reign to what Alex Pereira had in 2024. Still, fans wonder if anyone can stop the relentless pressure and pace of Dvalishvili’s dominant and ongoing title reign.

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