Merab Dvalishvili, the rising star in the UFC bantamweight division, is puzzled by the recent developments in the title picture. With an impressive nine-fight winning streak, Dvalishvili expected his next bout to be for the coveted UFC belt. However, Sean O'Malley's surprising upset over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 has thrown a wrench into Dvalishvili's plans.
Instead of challenging higher-ranked opponents like Sterling or Dvalishvili for his first title defense, O'Malley has set his sights on a rematch with Chito Vera, the only man to ever defeat him.
For Dvalishvili, this decision is both baffling and frustrating. He questions the logic behind choosing Vera as the challenger when he holds a 1-1 record in his last two fights and is currently ranked sixth in the division. Dvalishvili, on the other hand, boasts wins over former champions like Jose Aldo and Petr Yan, the man who defeated O'Malley.
"I’m a real contender. I’m No. 1 and there is a storyline there. I stole his jacket and I’m Aljo’s friend and I have my story, I’m from the country of Georgia, I came here 11 years ago and I became a professional fighter, now I’m No. 3 in the UFC and my name is Merab. I have a nine-fight win streak, like I said, and if he’s a real champion, he should want to fight with me. That’s how a champion does [it]. They fight the next contender, not choosing somebody from top six.” Merab told reporters.
The 32-year-old Georgian fighter has been dealing with a hand injury recently but has now been cleared to resume training and is eager to fight whenever the UFC wants. Dvalishvili's unbeaten streak since September 2018 includes victories over top contenders like Aldo, Yan, John Dodson, and Marlon Moraes. In fact, if not for a catchweight bout in 2020, his winning streak would tie Aljamain Sterling's record for the longest in UFC bantamweight history.
Dvalishvili can't help but jump to conclusions when he sees O'Malley overlook him in favor of a challenger who suffered a one-sided defeat just a few months ago. He believes that O'Malley perceives him as a bad matchup and is avoiding the fight.
Dvalishvili knows that he might face an uphill battle in his quest for the title shot. He admits that he would be heartbroken if he doesn't get the opportunity, but he remains optimistic about his future.
"I never choose my opponent. I always accept what the UFC gives me and I’ll be the same. I don’t think they will never ask me anything, but who am I? But yeah, I would love to [have] this fight, and I’ll be heartbroken. But it’s OK, life continues, I’m healthy, my life is good and I’m good. But the right thing is I should fight next for the title.”
Despite the uncertainty, Dvalishvili is willing to wait for O'Malley vs. Vera 2 to take place in early 2024 if he is guaranteed the next shot at the winner in the summer. He suggests being a backup fighter for that fight if necessary, but there's no denying that Dvalishvili is more deserving of a title shot than anyone else in the picture.
