Georgian MMA fighter Merab Dvalishvili successfully retained his UFC super bantamweight (61 kg) title at UFC 316 in New Jersey, defeating American contender Sean O’Malley.
From the opening bell, Dvalishvili set a relentless pace, keeping O’Malley under constant pressure. Despite O’Malley’s attempts to find openings, the 34-year-old Georgian secured a decisive victory in the third round.
Dvalishvili first captured the championship in September last year by defeating O’Malley and has now defended it twice—his first defense coming against Umar Nurmagomedov in January. Among the notable attendees at UFC 316 was US President Donald Trump.
With this win, Dvalishvili improves his professional MMA record to 20 victories and 4 defeats. It marks his 13th straight win, placing him alongside legendary fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, Max Holloway, and Jon Jones. Only Kamaru Usman and Islam Makhachev (15 wins each), and Anderson Silva (16) boast longer winning streaks.
Dvalishvili hasn’t tasted defeat since 2018. Since then, he has taken down four former UFC champions on his rise to the top of the super bantamweight ranks.
