Merab Dvalishvili proved the doubters wrong at UFC 311, stepping into the cage as the underdog and leaving with a hard-earned victory. The fight, held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, against Umar Nurmagomedov was a pivotal moment in Dvalishvili’s career. When the judges declared him the winner by unanimous decision, it felt like a shift in momentum away from Team Khabib. This victory marked Dvalishvili’s 12th straight win and his first title defense against a very tough opponent.

After the event, Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo took to their podcast to discuss the fight. Cejudo previously faced the Georgian fighter at UFC 298 and is aware of the skill set the champion possesses. Dvalishvili not only defeated Cejudo but also showed his outstanding grappling skills. Despite knowing his ability ‘Triple C’ backed ‘Young Eagle’ to win the fight at UFC 311. However, he has now changed his opinion on the champion and made it clear that he is the best in the bantamweight division.

While speaking to Kamaru Usman on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, he said, “You gotta give him his flowers Kamaru. And I can personally say, ‘We were wrong I was wrong’. Because we both had Umar winning. And I was so decisive on Umar beating Merab that, like, Merab just got another level of respect from me. For what he was able to do man. He beat a young 29-year-old ‘Young Eagle’, who is undefeated.”, before ending with, “Merab is the bantamweight GOAT, man, at least in my eyes.” 

Also watching the fight from close quarters was former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and his team. ‘Suga’ is currently recovering from a hip injury and will most probably face the champion next. However, Dvalishvili, in his current form, might just be too tough to handle for the former champion. But it seems his longtime coach Tim Welch knows what needs to be done to come out on top against him.

Sean O’Malley and his team reveal how they can beat Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili stunned the MMA world at UFC 306, where he defeated bantamweight star Sean O’Malley. In a dominating performance, he showcased his superior grappling and relentless ground control to win the fight. Despite O’Malley’s reputation as a dynamic striker with knockout power, Dvalishvili’s wrestling and pace proved too much for the flashy fighter to handle. ‘Suga’ struggled to escape Dvalishvili’s top control, unable to find space for his powerful strikes or submissions. Throughout the fight, Dvalishvili maintained a relentless pace, never allowing O’Malley to regain control or find his rhythm.

By the end of the bout, it was clear that the fight had been dictated by Dvalishvili’s grappling, which was far too dominant for O’Malley to overcome. However, it seems like the folks at Team O’Malley have learned from their mistake and are looking to rectify the same. The only way ‘Suga’ can beat Dvalishvili is to have a good game plan and be in top-notch shape, feels his coach. He took to his YouTube channel to analyze Dvalishvili’s performance at UFC 311.

While he did credit him for his performance against ‘Young Eagle’, he reminded everyone that he is indeed beatable. He said, “He’s [Merab] a problem he’s a big problem. But I do believe that we [Team O’Malley] could be the Kryptonite to Merab. With the right game plan and a good fight camp with ‘Suga’ healthy, I think we take him out and we will find out now won’t we?” 

After UFC 311, Merab Dvalishvili once again proved that with sheer hard work and dedication anything is possible. He has beaten some world-class fighters to reach the top and win the belt. Do you think he is indeed the best in the division? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.