π¬πͺ Merab Dvalishvili joined an exclusive group of UFC legends after successfully defending his bantamweight title THREE times in a single calendar year! π Only eight fighters in UFC history have achieved this incredible milestone: Merab Dvalishvili β 2025 Alex Pereira β 2024 Kamaru Usman β 2021 Demetrious Johnson β 2013 Chuck Liddell β 2006 Matt Hughes β 2002 Tito Ortiz β 2001 Frank Shamrock β 1998
Merab Dvalishvili's 2025 campaign has been placed among the most active title-defense years in UFC history, with the Georgian bantamweight credited with three successful defenses in a single calendar year. He is listed as one of only eight fighters to reach that mark, alongside Alex Pereira (2024), Kamaru Usman (2021), Demetrious Johnson (2013), Chuck Liddell (2006), Matt Hughes (2002), Tito Ortiz (2001) and Frank Shamrock (1998).
Dvalishvili, 35, is 21-5-0 and ranked number one at bantamweight and number two in the pound-for-pound list. Nicknamed "The Machine," he fights out of Serra-Longo Fight Team and competes as an orthodox fighter. He stands five-foot-six (168 cm) with a 68-inch (173 cm) reach.
His style is built on relentless wrestling. He averages 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, a pace few fighters in the sport can match, while landing 4.33 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. His submission attempt rate is a modest 0.3 per 15 minutes, underlining that his pressure is about control and volume rather than finishing from the mat.
The year in the record
The fight history for 2025 shows how the run unfolded, and it carries an important caveat for the milestone itself.
- June 7, UFC 316: Dvalishvili submitted Sean O'Malley in the third round in a title fight.
- October 4, UFC 320: he beat Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision over five rounds in another title bout.
- December 6, UFC 323: he lost a unanimous decision to Petr Yan in a title fight, also over five rounds.
That sequence matters. Two of the three recorded title fights from 2025 were wins, and the most recent recorded bout, against Yan on December 6, 2025, ended in defeat. The listed record therefore does not line up neatly with a clean three-for-three run of defenses, and the claim should be read with that in mind.
Why it matters
- The list is dominated by champions from different eras and weight classes, so any bantamweight name on it draws attention to how rare high-frequency title activity is.
- Dvalishvili's takedown rate of 6.4 per 15 minutes sets him apart statistically from most of the division.
- His most recent recorded fight, a five-round title loss, shapes how his 2025 should be judged against the other names on the list.
