UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili flattened a former Bellator titleholder with Dana White cageside.
Merab Dvalishvili had to grind his way into the UFC Octagon years before becoming one of the promotion’s biggest stars. But when he got his opportunity to prove he deserved to be on MMA’s top platform, Dvalishvili seized it.
Dvalishvili battled eventual Bellator bantamweight titleholder Raufeon Stots at Ring of Combat 59 in Atlantic City. UFC CEO Dana White, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas sat cageside at the event as a part of the ‘Lookin’ for a Fight’ YouTube series, and White had his eyes on Dvalishvili’s opponent for a potential UFC signing.
But it was Dvalishvili who stole the spotlight at Ring of Combat 59.
Merab Dvalishvili stopped Raufeon Stots in 15 seconds with Dana White cageside
Dvalishvili, a highly-decorated wrestler entering the Stots fight, was the overlooked side in the matchup. But just 15 seconds into the fight, Dvalishvili landed a spinning backfist to Stots’s chin that landed clean, resulting in a brutal knockout finish.
Watch Dvalishvili get the finish in the timestamped video below.
Dvalishvili earned a post-fight meeting with White in the locker room, where White offered him a UFC contract. Dvalishvili celebrated with his team and just months later, he made his first walk to the UFC Octagon.
Seven years after the 15-second knockout, Dvalishvili earned the UFC bantamweight championship by outpointing Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. As of this writing, he’s amassed a 12-fight unbeaten streak and is one of the UFC’s biggest fan favorites.
Despite the heartwarming moment between White and Dvalishvili after the Stots fight, the relationship between the two sides has been a roller coaster. White has publicly criticized Dvalishvili for some of his antics outside of the Octagon, and his refusal to fight longtime teammate Aljamain Sterling when Sterling held the UFC bantamweight title.
Merab Dvalishvili suffered a gruesome injury just weeks out from UFC 316
Dvalishvili will return against O’Malley in a title fight rematch at UFC 316 next month. The champion most recently defended the belt against the previously unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
Just weeks before UFC 316, Dvalishvili shared a gruesome toe injury he suffered in training. But luckily, the injury won’t keep Dvalishvili out of the fight, as he looks to put the O’Malley rivalry on the shelf.
O’Malley’s immediate rematch comes after a long hiatus since their first fight at UFC 306. Before falling to Dvalishvili, O’Malley earned the title by knocking out Sterling and followed it up by defending it against Marlon Vera at UFC 299.