Drake had his 2022 winning run ended by UFC 320 star Merab Dvalishvili.
The Canadian rapper is known for betting huge sums on big fights inside the UFC Octagon, and his habit of being on the wrong side of results birthed the Drake ‘curse’.
In 2022, things turned around for the 38-year-old, as he collected winnings after successfully backing Israel Adesanya to beat Jared Cannonier at UFC 276. After that netted him $1 million, he enjoyed an even more successful night when the promotion returned to London.
Drake bet on Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann to get the job done in England’s capital, and their memorable finishes resulted in the rap icon receiving a payout of over $3 million.
But that lucrative run was short-lived, as his decision to bet against Dvalishvili’s winning streak inside the cage backfired…
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Drake was looking at a half-a-million payout if Jose Aldo beat Merab Dvalishvili
Dvalishvili, the current UFC bantamweight champion, is gearing up to defend his title for the third time against Cory Sandhagen this Saturday in Las Vegas. The Georgian will enter the UFC 320 co-main event riding a 13-fight winning streak.
Among the toughest tests on that run was Dvalishvili’s fight against Jose Aldo at UFC 278 in August 2022. ‘The Machine’ was made to employ a clinch-heavy gameplan to stifle the Brazilian legend’s offense, much to the dismay of Dana White and the fans.
Drake would have been frustrated for a different reason, as the lackluster contest saw him lose out on $238,000. Before losing a $200,000 bet on Kamaru Usman in the main event, the Canadian’s winning run came to an end when Dvalishvili’s victory cost him an even bigger wager.
The rapper went on to bet $500,000 on Nate Diaz to beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279, a decision that baffled many before the fight ultimately fell through. And a couple of months later, $2 million went down the drain after Drake bet on Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
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Merab Dvalishvili’s fellow countryman spoiled Drake’s latest hefty UFC bet
In 2022, it was Georgia’s Dvalishvili costing Drake a sizable payout. In 2025, it was Georgia’s Ilia Topuria doing so.
A post on the rap star’s Instagram Stories during UFC 317 fight week revealed that he had staked $200,000 to win $880,000 on Charles Oliveira to upset Topuria in the main event.
That bet collapsed in quick fashion when Topuria starched Oliveira in round one to win the lightweight title and achieve two-division glory.