History of Merab Dvalishvili in Timeline
Merab Dvalishvili is a professional mixed martial artist from Georgia and America. He fights in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is currently ranked as the #1 contender as of February 20, 2024.
January 10, 1991: Birth of Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili was born on January 10, 1991.
2014: Merab Dvalishvili Begins MMA Career
Merab Dvalishvili embarked on his MMA journey in 2014, competing in promotions like CFFC and Ring of Combat, amassing a 7-2 record before joining the UFC.
December 9, 2017: UFC Debut
Merab Dvalishvili made his UFC debut against Frankie Saenz at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega on December 9, 2017, losing by split decision.
April 21, 2018: Fight of the Night Award
On April 21, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee, Merab Dvalishvili lost to Ricky Simón via technical submission. However, his performance earned him the Fight of the Night award.
September 15, 2018: Victory Against Terrion Ware
Merab Dvalishvili secured a unanimous decision victory against Terrion Ware at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik on September 15, 2018.
May 4, 2019: Victory Against Brad Katona
On May 4, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy, Merab Dvalishvili won against Brad Katona via unanimous decision.
2019: World Sambo Championships Second Place
Merab Dvalishvili achieved second place in the World Sambo Championships in South Korea in 2019, competing in the 68 kilograms category.
February 15, 2020: Victory Against Casey Kenney
Merab Dvalishvili emerged victorious from his fight against Casey Kenney at UFC Fight Night 167 on February 15, 2020, winning by unanimous decision.
June 11, 2020: Opponent Change
Initially scheduled to face Ray Borg, Merab Dvalishvili's opponent changed to Gustavo Lopez due to Borg's withdrawal on June 11, 2020, for UFC on ESPN: Eye vs. Calvillo.
June 13, 2020: Victory Against Gustavo Lopez
Merab Dvalishvili won against Gustavo Lopez, a last-minute replacement opponent, at UFC on ESPN: Eye vs. Calvillo on June 13, 2020, via unanimous decision.
August 15, 2020: Victory Against John Dodson
On August 15, 2020, at UFC 252, Merab Dvalishvili added another victory to his record by defeating John Dodson via unanimous decision.
December 5, 2020: Fight Postponement
Merab Dvalishvili's bout against Cody Stamann, initially planned for December 5, 2020, at UFC on ESPN 19, was postponed due to Stamann withdrawing for undisclosed reasons.
February 6, 2021: Second Fight Postponement
The rescheduled fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Cody Stamann, planned for February 6, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 184, was postponed again due to Dvalishvili suffering from COVID-19 complications.
May 1, 2021: Victory Against Cody Stamann
After two postponements, Merab Dvalishvili finally faced Cody Stamann on May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka, winning by unanimous decision.
September 25, 2021: Performance of the Night Award
Merab Dvalishvili showcased his resilience by overcoming a challenging first round to defeat Marlon Moraes via TKO in the second round at UFC 266 on September 25, 2021, earning him the Performance of the Night award.
October 29, 2021: Fury Pro Grappling 2
Merab Dvalishvili participated in the main event of Fury Pro Grappling 2 on October 29, 2021, where he lost to Kevin Dantzler by unanimous decision.
August 20, 2022: Victory Against José Aldo
Merab Dvalishvili defeated former UFC Featherweight champion José Aldo via unanimous decision at UFC 278 on August 20, 2022.
January 21, 2023: High Rollerz 23 Victory
Merab Dvalishvili emerged victorious at High Rollerz 23 on January 21, 2023, submitting Darren Branch with a choke from Kesa-gatame in the main event.
March 11, 2023: Victory Against Petr Yan and Record-Breaking Takedowns
On March 11, 2023, at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili, Merab Dvalishvili defeated former UFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan by unanimous decision, setting a new UFC record for most takedowns attempted in a fight with 49.
February 17, 2024: Victory Against Henry Cejudo
Merab Dvalishvili won against former UFC Flyweight and Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo by unanimous decision at UFC 298 on February 17, 2024.
February 20, 2024: Merab Dvalishvili Achieves #1 Bantamweight Ranking
On February 20, 2024, Merab Dvalishvili reached the #1 spot in the UFC bantamweight rankings.