Team Merab Dvalishvili Tease ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Changes in Reign, Ahead Of UFC 320 Title Bout

Merab Dvalishvili is a problem for the UFC 135-pound weight class, in any form. The Georgian Mean ‘Machine’ from Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, is true to his moniker and touts massive cardio, coupled with immense pressure. However, opponents might have their hands full with a new version of Dvalishvili, starting at UFC 320.

The upcoming UFC 320: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 PPV event is a title doubleheader. In the PPV Co-mains, Merab Dvalishvili makes a third defense of his UFC bantamweight gold against No.4-ranked fighter, Cory Sandhagen. Sandhagen has only been finished once: a first-round submission by Aljamain Sterling, the former bantamweight king and main Serra-Longo Fight Team (LV) teammate of Dvalishvili.

However, with pro stats of 20-4-0, 3-0 (T)KO/2-1 Sub, Dvalishvili is a nightmare skill-to-skill test for the weight class, especially across championship rounds, due to advances, sticky wrestling pressure, and gas tank. He has also funnily teased that he’s ‘sorry’ for Sandman’s fate as he’d knock him out.

Now, his coach says that in this pre-fight camp, the Serra-Longo Fight Team (LV) freestyle wrestler has made prime changes to his style.

That man is on a tear in the gym, …I can’t even express or explain how much better he is and how much better he’s getting in this camp, it’s almost jaw-dropping…everybody in the gym is going like, holy, where did this come from? Where did this version of this guy come from? He’s now looking to hurt you. He’s now looking to finish you. He’s now looking to create, just entertaining, devastating fights…

Coach John Wood to Jake Noecker for @HomeofFight-MMA

The 34-year-old fighter got his first crack at competition gold after stringing up a ginormous 10-fight winning streak. Currently, that number has increased even more and Dvalishvili is on quite a roll. With a takedown-heavy style and multiple Sambo World championships under his belt, Dvalishvili is no KO machine. Despite a long streak, he even got blasted for a slew of decisions going to the judges’ cards from time to time.

That seems to have changed when he got a taste of blood vs. Sean O’Malley at New Jersey. During their PPV title rematch at UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2, he got a rare finish over ‘Suga’ with a third-round north-south choke. Now, coach John Wood has teased that the fight clique hasn’t seen the best of this violent version, a Merab 2.0.

🦾 https://t.co/a33ZMpuPP8

— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) September 17, 2025

Dvalishvili is always an all-out wrestler. But throughout his 13-fight streak, he has shown he can dish and absorb big shots as well; he did so against Best ESPY Fighter and prime striker O’Malley as well as former title challenger Marlon Moraes.

Additionally, as a wrestler, his chaining up big trips and TDs has already surpassed a big record of GOAT Georges St-Pierre. If he adds a thrill-seeking hunt for a finish to it, Dvalishvili will truly be hard to handle…And it could all start at UFC 320.

Merab Dvalishvili has gone through string of injuries before many of his recent fights

It’s no new thing that Merab Dvalishvili, the infamous Camp Syndicate MMA/Team Serra-Longo (Las Vegas) orthodox fighter, is known for his cardio and wrestling. Look to the years of Coach Ray Longo’s training and didactics, and a 49 single-fight competition TD record at UFC Fight Night 221 for the results.

Most of his last few bouts have been pure domination against former champs. His wrestling is something opposing camps have to fully prep for, in length. He is also a stat leader for single-fight UFC/WEC bantamweight bouts, with impressive striking stats and differentials. But that is not where the ‘Dvalishvili’ lump and brand of success stems from.

The Georgian had pure will and has recovered through multiple injuries, a gash on leg, cut brow, broken ribs, and the like, before his recent fights. Right before UFC 316, he also got a toe injury but refused to rest or pull out. Per coach John Wood, it’s the heart that makes the fighter who he is.

I’m sure he broke his toe but like you don’t understand. Every camp and every fighter, even O’Malley says it, everybody is banged up; …That’s nothing compared to a lot of the things we’ve had going into fights. He’s had some massive injuries going into some massive fights before, and been banged up. Broken ribs and backs complete out of whack. But that’s just the way it goes. He’s going go show up and do his job no matter what.

John Wood to Denis Shkuratov for the ‘Submission Radio’ Show (🎥: @SubmissionRadio on YT)

The UFC 320 PPV title fighter and his heart have proven to be on quite a track so far, as Dvalishvili doesn’t back down. Even while prepping for his title fights since last year’s Noche UFC, he was looking forward to prime challenges against Petr Yan and Sandhagen. He had a deep gash in his thighs but hid it from Athletic Commission officials.

While the opposition claimed he was ducking out, Machine gave a premier performance and bled out dry the previously undefeated and indomitable Umar Nurmgomedov and won. The UFC bantamweight funnyman doesn’t even go for the divisional pish-posh and wanted to spar Gable Steveson at the UFC PI mats!

Mind it…this is no 135-pounder; Steveson is a 6’1″ two-time NCAA Division I national/four-time Big Ten champ and 2020 ex-Olympian who was then prepping for his MMA debut. He has the heart of a lion, and it shows.

ALSO READ: Aljamain Sterling Plans to Corner Merab Dvalishvili a Day Before His Wedding, at UFC 320