UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili ‘fanboys’ over MMA GOAT after breaking massive takedown record

Merab Dvalishvili's next title defense in the offing, while he meets idol Georges St-Pierre for the first time at UFC Vegas 104.

UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili ‘fanboys’ over MMA GOAT after breaking massive takedown record

Merab Dvalishvili dapped it up with Georges St-Pierre at UFC Vegas 104 (Source: IMAGO/X)

UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre gave salutations to Merab Dvalishvili for recently breaking one of his legendary records. In turn, ‘Machine’ got a rush over ‘Rush’ as well. St-Pierre and the current 135-pound champ were recently at Apex, attending UFC Vegas 104, aka UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2.

Georgian Merab Dvalishvili was at UFC Vegas 104 to support his fellow native Roman Dolidze. He strung up a 10-fight streak for a first crack at gold. He dominantly swiped out Sean O’Malley to bag undisputed gold at the UFC 306 PPV event headliner last September.

YouTube video

In his maiden defense, he outworked the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 PPV. St-Pierre lauded him and branded him a ‘king’ for breaking his record during the discourse.

FS Video

I will tell you again…I I I — It’s crazy, it was your record, …now it’s my record. You got the two the, …the two guys with the most takedown…I’m a big fan of yours. I love your fighting style.

Merab Dvalishvili during UFC Vegas 104

During the frame, Dvalishvili has now recorded 92 takedowns in UFC competition, the most in the company’s history. Georges St-Pierre previously owned the record [90] on an exclusive basis since 2013. The TriStar Gym team fighter last challenged the middleweight gold at UFC 217: Bisping vs. St-Pierre event headliner in 2017. He was scheduled to return to the sport in 2023 to grapple with Nick Diaz, but pulled out due to injury.

Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is a bona fide name in the making with extreme cardio and ground skills. His relentless pressure and grapple to stifle most of his competition makes him more than a unique fighter, and now rightfully a champ.

UFC 311 post-event tidbits: Merab Dvalishvili a unit of his own after first PPV title defense

Dvalishvili drew a $50,000 UFC 311 fight-night bonus. In the lead-up, there was much talk about facing the wrestle-heavy Dagestani and how he would fare. However, Merab Dvalishvili proved that Georgian wrestling is just as potent and dreadful in the shared space.

Merab Dvalishvili surpassed Georges St-Pierre's TD record at UFC 311, and much more
Merab Dvalishvili surpassed Georges St-Pierre’s TD record at UFC 311, and much more (Source: X)

The Syndicate MMA/Serra-Longo (LV) team fighter is a multiple-time combat Sambo champion, and it showed. Additionally, as a Judo black belt, his relentless pace and strong pocket of clinch is quite something. Dvalishvili has strung a 11-fight UFC winning streak, which is the most in UFC 135-pound competition.

He has won 15 of his 19 career wins by way of decision. This includes 11 of his 12 UFC victories. Dvalishvili’s 10 decisions are the most in UFC bantamweight history. Dvalishvili surpassed Georges St-Pierre on the UFC’s all-time takedown leaderboard with a series of late-round TDs at UFC 311. St-Pierre still holds the all-time welterweight record with 87.

Dvalishvili’s 79 takedowns are the most in UFC bantamweight history. But his striking, level variation/anti-wrestle taunts and bodylock shots are immensely good, too. He is an aggressive ground-level striker and douses a record 2,092 total strikes landed in UFC bantamweight competition. It is the most in history!

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley rematch talks intensify

Merab Dvalishvili, the current champ, is up for a potential rematch with O’Malley for his next title outing. UFC CEO and headman Dana White has also endorsed the notion, saying they might roll that way. The two fighters recently linked up at the UFC PI (Las Vegas) to verbally agree on it.

Merab Dvalishvili's next title challenge is shaping up
Merab Dvalishvili’s next title challenge is shaping up (Source: X)

In the aftermath of the second annual Noche PPV, ‘Suga’ needed surgery on his hip cartilage (labrum). However, he is now recovered and looking forward to it. Dvalishvili, too, is keen on it as this is familiar territory, and they have history together. The loss marked O’Malley’s second in the tenure and he still remains the No. 1 contender on the divisional athlete listings.

Petr Yan, at No. 2 in the athlete rankings, is someone the champ is interested in as well. Trailing behind his is Nurmagomedov who Dvalishvili thinks he ‘humbled’ and won’t be coming forward with rematch ideas.

Related: Why Bantamweight is the most exciting UFC weight class right now