Merab Dvalishvili has solidified his place as one of the most dominant figures in the UFC bantamweight division. At UFC 320, he showcased relentless pressure, sharp wrestling, and improved striking to earn a unanimous decision and defend his 135-pound title for the third time. The Georgian star demonstrated why he is considered one of the division’s elite fighters, combining technique and endurance to control the fight from start to finish. Despite his growing accolades, Dvalishvili has no plans to chase a second UFC title at featherweight. He remains focused on perfecting his craft and building a lasting legacy in the division where he feels strongest and most comfortable.
“This is my division,” Dvalishvili said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m comfortable here. I don’t want to try and go up and make a mess because I don’t want to be without an invite. Like if somebody shows up at [Aljamain Sterling’s] wedding tomorrow, I would crush his face in, we would be mad. … I’m comfortable here. I want to be my division’s champion.
“I have respect for all these guys, especially my brother Aljamain Sterling, Volkanovski, I don’t want to fight these guys. I’m good here. I don’t know, we’ll see. So far, I have next plan to fight Petr Yan.”
🗣️ Merab: “Nobody can give me problems, even in striking. I fought Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, Sean O’Malley two times. Nobody can do SH*T. I’m the GOAT, I’m the champion!” 👀🔥 #UFC320 pic.twitter.com/w6L3FZoROM
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 3, 2025
Focus on Legacy
Dvalishvili patiently waited his turn while Sterling held the bantamweight belt from 2021-2023, and he prefers to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Even after UFC president Dana White called him the greatest bantamweight of all time, Dvalishvili remains humble and focused on continuous improvement.
“Of course, it’s nice to hear from the boss,” he said. “I appreciate him, even if maybe I don’t agree with that. I mean, I’m not sure about that. But Dana White says these kinds of words to me, it means a lot and I’m grateful for UFC and for Dana White, of course, the job they’re doing and all the opportunities I’m given by UFC, I’m grateful for that. I’m thankful.”
When discussing what it takes to reach undisputed GOAT status, Dvalishvili shared a life lesson from his family:
“I have two older brothers,” he said. “My second brother, he was a pilot 17 years in Georgian army, one of the helicopters. They have an expression like this: ‘You don’t say I’m a pilot until you retire and you’re sitting with your grandkids and you talk about it after. Before, you keep landing.’
“So I’m a fighter. I’m never going to say I’m the GOAT. I’ll keep getting better, I’ll keep landing, I’ll keep grinding, because this is MMA. You have to be humble, otherwise you will get humbled if you get cocky. So I’m just trying to get better and maybe I will say that when, God willing, when I will sit with my grandkids, then maybe I will tell them, ‘You know what? One day I was GOAT.’ But now, I don’t consider myself the GOAT because I keep getting better. I’m still a student in this game.” via MMAFighting
For now, Dvalishvili is focused on defending his 135-pound title and continuing to build his legacy within the division. His next target appears to be Petr Yan, keeping him squarely in his comfort zone and ensuring he stays “my division’s” champion.
