Having cemented his grip on the UFC bantamweight title, talk of where Merab Dvalishvili fits among the division’s all-time greats is picking up.
Dvalishvili recorded his first defense a few weeks back, following his crowning at the expense of Sean O’Malley four months prior with a successful halting of Umar Nurmagomedov’s championship ambitions.
While the Georgian made the walk at UFC 311 as the underdog, he overcame a strong start from his undefeated challenger, utilizing his renowned cardio and pace to secure the decision victory in Los Angeles.
The result extended Dvalishvili’s reign and active win streak to 12, which is enough for some to now award “The Machine” with GOAT status at 135 pounds.
That’s sparked plenty of debate over how the current champ would stack up against some of the division’s past elites, including former two-time titleholder TJ Dillashaw.
A recent post on X by @owen_swd posed the question of who would win between Dvalishvili and the retired American in their respective primes.
Both men had their fair share of backers in the comments section. One common theme involved the controversy surrounding Dillashaw’s use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Worst possible matchup for Merab https://t.co/1h4ChYn4S7
— Captain Andy
(@Crypto_k33per) January 28, 2025
Merab all day every day
— VonWeeden
(@Von_Weeden) January 28, 2025
If both are clean, Merab.
— The People's MMA
(@ThePeoplesMMA) January 27, 2025
I'd bet my life on Merab against both TJ Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt in their primes.
https://t.co/bBsb5Bkgh5
— Giorgi Kokiashvili
(@iHeartGeorgius1) January 28, 2025
Disrespectful to Merab he mauls any BW. Bantamweight has never had an S-tier level fighter anyway
— 666 רובו
Robo 130 IQ (@RoboBuddyFi) January 28, 2025
