UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is aiming for a very active 2025.
Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) kicks off next year with a title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Inglewood, Calif. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
If he gets past Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili is looking to defend his title another two times in the first third of the year.
“I want to win this fight and I want to be busy in 2025,” Dvalishvili said in an interview with the UFC. “I’m fighting early this year, Jan. 18, and I just want to be busy. I know (Sean) O’Malley wants to come back in April. I think Petr (Yan) will be ready in March. So maybe fight Petr in March, rematch (O’Malley) in April, and whoever will be the next contender (after that), I will take. I will clean the division again.”
Dvalishvili initially wanted more time before making his first title defense against Nurmagomedov. He was heavily criticized for deeming Nurmagomedov as an unworthy title challenger, and has felt the negative reception from the public heading into the fight.
“The last couple of fights, I used to get a lot of attention. People recognize me. But hate on Instagram and social media, that was very hard for me,” Dvalishvili told ESPN. “That was like extra pressure. But it’s all good. Now I’m good. I’m focused for the fight.
“The best way now is I should just stay busy and take fights, and that’s it, because I was going to enjoy this time, but now I feel like I’m Conor McGregor – a lot of drama comes. Even Jon Jones and Mike Tyson used to get a lot of drama. I’m like, ‘Where is this coming from?’ I’m the same guy. I’m training, doing the same things – but it’s all good.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
