Dvalishvili just earned the bantamweight belt in September, but felt called to fight Nurmagomedov because of the personal jabs exchanged outside of the Octagon. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images ...

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Merab Dvalishvili had already beaten four consecutive champions going into his first UFC title defense this year -- and yet, Saturday still might have been the most impressive ...

For all of the chaos that Merab Dvalishvili typically brings to the Octagon in the form of his endless cardio, spamming wrestling attack and constant forward pressure, his critics are starting to ...

It’s not that Merab Dvalishvili likes to gripe, but if something’s bothering him, he’s not afraid to let you know about it. On a Friday in early January, Merab shows up to Syndicate MMA in ...

Trent Reinsmith is a Baltimore-based writer who covers MMA and hockey. When UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov met at the UFC 311 press conference in December ...

Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili have very different demeanors heading into their bantamweight title fight at UFC 311. Dvalishvili, the champion, was a ball of rage at December's pre-fight ...

Undisputed UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has promised to put undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov in his place at UFC 311 after branding the Russian contender "cocky". Dvalishvili ...

Dvalishvili, meanwhile, will enter UFC 311 on an 11-fight winning streak that includes some of the biggest names in the division – Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and O'Malley.