Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) is only a few weeks removed from making a successful defense of the UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 316 in Newark, NJ from Prudential Center. On the night of June 7, Dvalishvili made the trek to the east coast of the United States of America for his latest defense of the strap at 135 lbs.
In the final UFC pay-per-view event of the spring season, Dvalishvili stopped Sean O’Malley (18-3, 1 NC MMA, 10-3, 1 NC UFC) with a third-round submission (north south choke) with 18 seconds left on the clock for his second defense of the bantamweight championship. While it’s been less than 30 days since that win for Merab Dvalishvili, the UFC isn’t keen on wasting any time in trying to get defense number three of the title on the books.
If Dvalishvili’s recent comments are anything to go by, the No. 1 MMA promotion in the world is ready to give him the option of choosing his next challenger. Merab Dvalishvili mentioned to USA Today’s MMA Junkie the promotion’s intentions.
Merab Dvalishvili Controlling Selection Process for Next Defense of UFC Bantamweight Championship
Dvalishvili was initially informed of the UFC giving him a say in the selection process by way of a recent telephone call.
“This is the first time [that] the UFC called me when I was in Georgia,” Merab Dvalishvili began, “and [they] said ‘Go enjoy your country, have a great time, and when you come to Las Vegas, let’s go to dinner and choose who you want to fight and when you want to fight.”
Dvalishvili recalls being stunned by the UFC’s offer.
“I was like, ‘Wow'”, he said. “‘This is the first time [that it happened].'”
Thus, there’s one simple question in the wake of this telephone call:
Who’s Next for Merab Dvalishvili?
The defending UFC Bantamweight Champion’s already got some idea as to the man he wants to face next time out.
“Cory Sandhagen is most deserving,” the champ responded. This echoes Merab Dvalishvili’s comments made in the immediate aftermath of the fight against O’Malley on June 7 in New Jersey.
“Cory Sandhagen is a really good opponent,” he said. “I respect him. Hey, one thing’s for sure: He’s going to be a [a] great fight. He’s technical, moves [are] good, very high-level. He has a good ground game, too, you know? So, it’s going to be [a] good fight and UFC fans [will] enjoy this fight. I think UFC fans deserve this fight.”
Timing of Merab Dvalishvili’s Return Questionable
Dvalishvili is eager to get back inside the fabled Octagon as soon as he can, but his personal gameplan for the rest of 2025 entails him making the walk twice more before the calendar flips to 2026.
“I always want to fight in New York,” Merab Dvalishvili explained. “But [fighting in] Abu Dhabi, I don’t think so. I don’t think it’s pay-per-view. I think [the] pay-per-view must be in Vegas in October and then November [in New York City.] I live here in Las Vegas now, and it’s going to be home, and it’s going to be easy, but I also want to fight in New York.”
Given that the calendar has now turned pages to the month of July, Merab Dvalishvili will probably be faced with a “one or the other” scenario as far as the date of his next fight. The time of year would essentially no longer allow the champion to return to action twice more, barring, of course, the possibility that he’d be asked to step up to the plate for a short-notice fight.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen Appealing Fight
This having been said, though, a contest between Merab Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen, if and when it’s eventually announced by the UFC, would make for an exciting 25 minutes (or less) of action.
Cory Sandhagen is 4-1 in his last five fights dating back to September of 2022. Much like Merab Dvalishvili, Sandhagen also stopped his most-recent adversary inside the cage.
On May 3, Sandhagen’s fight versus Deiveson Figuereido was halted late in the second round of a scheduled five in Des Moines due to a knee injury, netting Sandhagen the TKO. If Merab Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen happen to meet in the Octagon later on in 2025, get your popcorn ready, because it’ll be a good one.
