Merab Dvalishvili’s record-breaking performance against Petr Yan 11 months ago cemented the Georgian as a top contender in the bantamweight division.
Yet despite attempting 49 takedowns en route to a dominant, unanimous decision victory over the former 135-pound champion, there was still one thing in the way of Dvalishvili fighting for the bantamweight title: his best friend Aljamain Sterling was the one holding the belt.
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That all changed in August, when Sean O’Malley defeated the three-time defending bantamweight champion at UFC 292. Rather than trying to earn a chance at a rematch against the new 135-pound king, Sterling decided to make the move to featherweight, opening the door for Dvalishvili to fight for the title.