UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili took part in an impromptu wrestling session with investigative journalist Nick Shirley at the White House ahead of UFC's event on the South Lawn.
UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili found an unusual sparring partner at the White House on June 13, 2026, when the Georgian grappling specialist squared off in an impromptu wrestling session with investigative journalist Nick Shirley ahead of the UFC's event on the South Lawn.
Dvalishvili, known as The Machine, enters the spotlight as one of the most decorated fighters in the 135-pound division. The 35-year-old Georgian holds a 21-5-0 professional record and sits at number one in the bantamweight rankings, with a pound-for-pound ranking of second in the world. Fighting out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team in an orthodox stance, he stands five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach. His statistical profile underlines why a wrestling session might come naturally — Dvalishvili averages 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, a mark that ranks among the most relentless in the sport, and he lands 4.33 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- The moment places one of the UFC's top pound-for-pound stars in an unusually high-profile public setting ahead of the South Lawn event
- Dvalishvili's grappling reputation made the impromptu exchange a fitting showcase of his most dangerous attribute
- The White House staging reflects the UFC's growing visibility at the highest levels of American public life
The session with Shirley was lighthearted in nature, but it offered a rare glimpse of the number-one bantamweight contender outside the Octagon, bringing his signature wrestling aggression to one of the most recognizable addresses in the world.
