The UFC kicked off 2024 with an outstanding pay-per-view event that was truly memorable. The card featured surprising underdog victories and impressive finishes, making it one for the record books. One of the standout performances came from Merab Dvalishvili, a +250 underdog. Who defied the Vegas odds to retain the Bantamweight title with a unanimous decision win over Umar Nurmagomedov. The big question is: Who is the next opponent for Merab?
Merab Dvalishvili, photo – MMAJUNKIE
Possible Opponents
Many fans would like another rematch with Petr Yan because of his latest win against Deiveson Figueiredo in November. While that would be entertaining, Petr would likely have to win another fight to get a shot. Other than moving up in weight to fight Illia Topuira, which most likely won’t happen unless he defends the belt one or two more times. Many people say Cory Sandhagen, but he again most likely needs one more fight for a chance, especially since he recently lost to Umar Nurmagomedov. However, one more fighter currently poses the most likely opponent for the Georgian native.
Most Likely Opponent
Although nothing has been confirmed, and there are rumors everywhere, Merab’s most likely opponent is a rematch against Sean O’Malley. Although Sean has been dealing with his hip surgery since September and will be sidelined for the next couple of months, the biggest draw for Merab’s next PPV would be against “The Suga Show.” While most fans were expecting this generation Khabib vs. McGregor last time they fought. Most fans weren’t too excited as the fight panned out. However, if O’Malley is genuinely 100 percent healthy and can prove that this fight will be completely different, this would be the most likely match for everyone involved.
Conclusion
Merab is quickly becoming one of the best Bantamweights of all time, and he is cleaning out the division while taking little to no damage in every fight. He is gaining more and more fans every time he fights while becoming a villain to the whole division. While he wants to return to the octagon quickly, he may have to wait a little for another challenge, especially if he wants to get a bigger PPV.
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Dvalishvili. photo – MMAJUNKIE
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