| Merab Dvalishvili Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 6 in |
| Weight | 61 kg |
| Date of Birth | January 10, 1991 |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Eye Color | Green |
Merab Dvalishvili is a Georgian professional mixed martial artist who began competing in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in December 2017. As of March 2023, he had amassed a 9-2 win-loss record in the promotion and was ranked number 1 in the UFC bantamweight rankings. Before joining UFC in December 2017, Merab had put together a 7-2 win-loss record, competing in promotions such as Ring of Combat, Cage Fury Fighting Championship, and CES (Classic Entertainment & Sports) MMA. During this time, he won the vacant Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship in February 2017 and defended that title in June 2017. Merab holds a black belt in judo.
Born Name
Merab Dvalishvili
Nick Name
The Machine
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Born Place
Tbilisi, Georgia
Residence
Long Island, New York, United States
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Mixed Martial Artist
Family
- Father – Kakhaber Dvalishvili
- Mother – Tsisana Dvalishvili
Weight(s)
Bantamweight
Stance
Orthodox
Reach
5 ft 8 in or 173 cm
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 6 in or 167.5 cm
Weight
61 kg or 134.5 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
White
He is of Georgian descent.
Hair Color
Light Brown
Eye Color
Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Toned physique
- Short-cropped, side-parted hair
- Sports a thick beard
- Affable smile
- Has the map and flag of Georgia tattooed on his upper left chest – the tattoo of the flag is superimposed upon the tattoo of the map
Merab Dvalishvili Facts
- Merab, in his youth, trained in qartuli chidaoba (traditional Georgian wrestling), khridoli (Georgian martial art), sambo (a martial art with Soviet origins, an internationally practiced combat sport, and a recognized style of amateur wrestling), and judo (an unarmed modern Japanese martial art), for self-defense.
- He moved to the United States when he was about 21 years old, with a dream that he would become a professional mixed martial arts fighter. Merab competed in his first professional mixed martial arts bout in January 2014 – within 2 years of his arrival in the country.
- After competing in multiple promotions across the United States and amassing a 7-2 win-loss record, Merab fought his first UFC bout in December 2017 – suffering a defeat via split decision. In his next UFC bout (April 2018), he lost via technical submission (guillotine choke) at the final bell.
- His team appealed the result, claiming that he was conscious at the end of the round, but the appeal was denied. Despite the defeat, Merab earned his career’s first ‘UFC Bonus Award’ – ‘Fight of the Night’.
- Representing Georgia, he won the ‘Silver’ medal at the 2019 Cheongju World Sambo Championships in the 68 kg men’s combat category.
- In a September 2021 UFC bout, Merab was knocked down early and nearly lost out in the first round. However, he managed to recover thereafter and won via TKO (punches). This was his 7th successive UFC victory and earned him his first ‘Performance of the Night’ award – his career’s second ‘UFC Bonus Award’.
- In March 2023, during his unanimous decision win against Petr Yan, Merab broke the UFC record for most takedowns attempted in a bout – with 49 attempts. This was his 9th successive UFC victory.
- As of March 2023, Merab held the record for the most unanimous decision wins (8) in the UFC Bantamweight division, the longest win streak (9) in the UFC Bantamweight division, and the most takedowns landed (61) in the UFC Bantamweight division.
Featured Image by Merab Dvalishvili / Instagram
