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Merab Dvalishvili Could Make History With Third Title Defense
Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili Looks To Join An Elite Group Of Fighters As He Attempts The Third Defense Of His Title At UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2
Merab Dvalishvili is on the cusp of yet a couple of accolades as he approaches his fight with Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 on October 4.
He already boasts the longest win streak in bantamweight history at 12, a run that stretches back to September 2018. He also continues to stretch his lead of the most takedowns landed in UFC history (97) with each fight, and if things go how things have gone for the last seven years, Dvalishvili should become the first fighter to record 100 takedowns in the Octagon. It is also worth noting that the Georgian holds the bantamweight record for total strikes landed at 2,233. All of this, including his ascension to the title in September 2024, has people seriously considering whether “The Machine” is the best to ever do it at 135 pounds.
How To Watch And Stream UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2
Earning that status requires turning away all comers, and since having the strap wrapped around him at Noche UFC, Dvalishvili has only gotten better. He first turned away then-undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 before submitting Sean O’Malley in their rematch at UFC 316. Should he oust Sandhagen, Dvalishvili will not only tie his friend and training partner for the most consecutive defenses of the 135-pound throne, he’ll also join a limited list of fighters who collected those wins within a calendar year.
The most-recent entry into that club came in 2024 when Alex Pereira knocked out three foes in six months to defend the light heavyweight title.
Dvalishvili is getting it done in a distinctly different way than “Poatan.” The 34-year-old Georgian melts each man who steps in front of him in the Octagon. With his nonstop motor, high-level wrestling, and never-ending battery, Dvalshvili seems like he could always go for another hour while his opponent is left sucking wind at the fight’s end.
He has come into his own as a person in the spotlight as well. From goofy skits on social media to antics during the fight, Dvalishvili is embracing every bit of the attention his skills are warranting. But it all comes back to what he does in the Octagon, and against any style, it seems like Dvalishvili can overwhelm the best on their best days, something he intends to prove again against the well-rounded Sandhagen in Las Vegas.
UFC 320 FULL FIGHTS: Ankalaev vs Pereira 1 | Pereira vs Hill | Dvalishvili vs O'Malley 2 | Sandhagen vs Figueiredo
With history on the mind, let’s take a look at the fighters who have already done what Dvalishvili could do on October 4.
Alex Pereira
- April 13, 2024: Knockout win over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300
- June 29, 2024: TKO win over Jiří Procházka at UFC 303
- October 5, 2024: TKO win over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307
Frank Shamrock
- March 16, 1998: Knockout win over Igor Zinoviev at UFC 16
- May 15, 1998: Submission win over Jeremy Horn at UFC 17
- October 16, 1998: TKO win over Jeremy Lober at UFC Brazil
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Tito Ortiz
- February 23, 2001: Knockout win over Evan Tanner at UFC 30
- June 29, 2001: TKO win over Elvis Sinosic at UFC 32
- September 28, 2001: Split Decision win over Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 33
*Submitted Yuki Kondo in December 2000, making him one of two to defend his belt four times in a 12-month span
Chuck Liddell
- February 4, 2006: Knockout win over Randy Couture at UFC 57
- August 26, 2006: TKO win over Renato Sobral at UFC 62
- December 30, 2006: TKO win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 66
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Demetrius Johnson
- January 26, 2013: Unanimous Decision win over John Dodson at UFC Fight Night: Johnson vs Dodson
- July 27, 2013: Submission win over John Moraga at UFC Fight Night: Johnson vs Moraga
- December 14, 2023: Knockout win over Joe Benavidez at UFC Fight Night: Johnson vs Benavidez
Matt Hughes
- March 22, 2002: TKO win over Hayato Sakurai at UFC 36
- July 13, 2002: TKO win over Carlos Newton at UFC 38
- November 22, 2002: TKO win over Gil Castillo at UFC 40
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Kamaru Usman
- February 13, 2021: TKO win over Gilbert Burns at UFC 258
- April 24, 2021: KO win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 258
- November 6, 2021: Unanimous Decision win vs Colby Covington at UFC 261
UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 4, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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