UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili rose to stardom with one of the sport’s wildest comeback wins.
Merab Dvalishvili has had a dominant run in the bantamweight division; amassing a 12-fight winning streak entering his return this weekend at UFC 316. Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley will clash again this Saturday in Newark in the second chapter of their UFC rivalry.
But years before Dvalishvili became one of the UFC’s biggest stars, he was a relatively unknown contender in the bantamweight division. After winning six consecutive fights after a sluggish start to his UFC tenure, Dvalishvili earned a big step up in competition against former title challenger Marlon Moraes at UFC 266.
What was marketed as an intriguing stylistic matchup to wrap up the UFC 266 prelims turned into one of the wildest fights in UFC bantamweight history.
- READ MORE: Jean Silva roasts UFC 314 victim Bryce Mitchell for using dead cattle as a heavy bag on his farm
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Marlon Moraes was a ridiculous back-and-forth slugfest
Moraes wasted little time landing some heavy leg kicks that quickly created welts on Dvalishvili’s lead left leg. Midway through the first round, Moraes had Dvalishvili on the verge of being on the wrong end of a knockout when he landed a blistering right hand that snapped his head back.
Moraes didn’t let off the gas pedal as he moved into the pocket and threw bombs at Dvalishvili, eventually earning a brief knockdown during the barrage. As Dvalishvili recovered, Moraes walked him down and landed another big punch that collapsed his opponent’s stance to earn a second first-round knockdown.
Despite taking Moraes’s biggest punches, Dvalishvili was able to secure a takedown and get top mount. In a turning point of the first round, and as seconds ticked away, Dvalishvili landed brutal hammer fists as the round came to a close, leaving Moraes stunned.
With Moraes visibly exhausted, Dvalishvili earned a big takedown in Round 2, before finishing Moraes with horrific ground-and-pound strikes. It was a top ‘Fight of the Year’ contender in 2021 and cemented Dvalishvili’s standing in the bantamweight title picture.
Moraes, who nearly finished Henry Cejudo for the then-vacant bantamweight title at UFC 238, wasn’t the same after the Dvalishvili fight. He ended his career with seven consecutive losses before announcing his retirement in 2023.
Joe Rogan touted Moraes as one of the all-time greatest bantamweights to never hoist a UFC title, after knockout wins over the likes of Aljamain Sterling and Jimmie Rivera.
- READ MORE: UFC 316 star told opponent he had a nose booger just seconds before shocking one-punch KO
Merab Dvalishvili looks to move closer to bantamweight GOAT status at UFC 316
Now the UFC’s undisputed bantamweight champion, Dvalishvili looks to hand O’Malley another title loss and continue his ascent up the pound-for-pound rankings. Dvalishvili hasn’t lost since a controversial defeat to Ricky Simon in 2018.
O’Malley will get the immediate rematch after falling to Dvalishvili by unanimous decision at UFC 306. Before losing to Dvalishvili, O’Malley earned the belt by knocking out Sterling and defending the title against Marlon Vera.
Dvalishvili’s ability to bounce back from early round trouble adds another terrifying element for his opponents to deal with. If O’Malley lands a big punch in the opening minutes this weekend, don’t be surprised if Dvalishvili rallies late.
- READ MORE: Patchy Mix smashed rival with thunderous knee to the head to win $1 million Bellator tournament