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Merab Dvalishvili Sets New Takedown Benchmarks and Extends Record-Breaking Winning Streak By BBC News Sport The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight division is witnessing a period of unprecedented statistical dominance following Merab Dvalishvili's successful title defence at UFC 320 in Las Vegas. The Georgian-American champion, known as "The Machine," extended his remarkable winning run while simultaneously establishing several new records related to his wrestling-heavy fighting style. Dvalishvili’s latest victory over top contender Cory Sandhagen, secured via a unanimous decision in the co-main event, marked his 14th consecutive win within the promotion. This monumental streak now places him among the top four longest-running unbeaten streaks in UFC history, a feat which highlights his enduring consistency against elite competition. More notably, the 34-year-old set an individual benchmark for the volume of his grappling attack, confirming his position as the most effective wrestling specialist in the organisation’s history. The Statistical Context of Dominance The core of the "merab-dvalishvili-record" now centres on his overwhelming control of grappling statistics. During the gruelling 25-minute championship bout against Sandhagen, Dvalishvili landed 20 successful takedowns across the five rounds. This figure immediately broke the existing UFC record for the most takedowns ever completed in a five-round title fight, surpassing the previous benchmark of 16 set in 2007.
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Furthermore, this performance cemented his overall record as the all-time leader in successful takedowns across all UFC weight classes, having broken Georges St-Pierre’s long-standing total earlier in the year. His fighting metrics underscore this approach; Dvalishvili currently boasts an average of 6. 40 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting, an extraordinarily high rate for a champion operating at the sport's highest level. “Dvalishvili’s game plan is fundamentally different from nearly every other champion we have seen,” said former professional fighter and MMA analyst, Dan Hardy. “It's not just about taking an opponent down; it’s about the sheer volume and the pace. He attempts takedowns when others would be resting, and that constant pressure—the 'never-ending battery' he possesses—serves to drain the opposition's resources, both physically and mentally. The record isn't just a number; it is a reflection of an unsustainable pace that opponents simply cannot match for five full rounds. ” The Streak and the Championship Picture Dvalishvili’s 14-fight winning streak stretches back to September 2018.
Over the past seven years, this run has included unanimous decision victories over a succession of high-calibre opponents, including former champions José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo. He claimed the Bantamweight Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Sean O'Malley in September 2024, before securing a decisive submission win against O’Malley in a rematch in June 2025. His latest title defence against Sandhagen marks his third successful retention of the belt. Significantly, Dvalishvili has become the first UFC Bantamweight Champion in the promotion's history to successfully defend his title three times within a single calendar year, demonstrating a level of activity and readiness uncommon among current divisional titleholders. The champion’s training partner and former Bantamweight titleholder, Aljamain Sterling, offered perspective on Dvalishvili's achievement, stating: “Merab is the machine for a reason. What he is doing right now is not just winning; he is rewriting what it means to be a dominant bantamweight. To defend the belt three times against the level of competition he has faced, and to do it all within 10 months, shows a dedication that is unmatched. His run must now be considered one of the best in the history of the 135-pound division.
” Future Outlook and Contender Challenge The continued extension of the Dvalishvili record places immense pressure on the rest of the bantamweight class to find an answer to his relentless style. His dominance is built on technical ability derived from a background in Judo and Sambo, coupled with what has often been described as near-limitless cardio. Opponents who have tried to neutralise his grappling have found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer frequency of his attacks. Following the victory, the champion indicated a desire to maintain his active schedule, already eyeing a potential fourth contest before the end of the year. While the UFC has yet to formally announce his next bout, speculation points towards a rematch with former two-time champion Petr Yan, a fighter Dvalishvili defeated by unanimous decision in 2023. In summary, Merab Dvalishvili’s performance at UFC 320 did not just consolidate his title reign; it established him as a record-breaker whose statistical achievements now define modern Bantamweight grappling standards. As he continues his 14-fight winning streak, which trails only three other fighters for the longest in UFC history, the challenge for all future contenders will be not just to defeat "The Machine," but to withstand the historic, unrelenting pace and pressure that has defined his championship legacy.
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