Merab Dvalishvili (main) could join Alex Pereira (top inset) and Chuck Liddell (bottom inset) in an exclusive club at UFC 320. Credit: Elsa/Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Merab Dvalishvili will join Alex Pereira, Chuck Liddell, and 5 others in an exclusive club if he wins at UFC 320

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 9:26 AM ET

UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has the chance to do what very few have on October 4.

Dvalishvili is on a fast track toward greatness at 135 pounds, a division he has ruled over with an iron fist since he unseated Sean O’Malley at the Sphere in September 2024.

After Dvalishvili became the first to beat Umar Nurmagomedov in his opening defense, the Georgian was tasked with repeating his title-winning performance in a rematch with ‘Suga’. He did more than just replicate it in Newark this past June, with Dvalishvili submitting O’Malley in the UFC 316 headliner.

And it has not taken long for ‘The Machine’ to have his next assignment added to the calendar.

Back in Vegas with some BANGERS @AnkalaevM vs @AlexPereiraUFC 2 @MerabDvalishvil vs @CorySandhagenx @Jiri_bjp vs @KhalilRountree #UFC320 | Register interest: https://t.co/pZv6AnWMF0 pic.twitter.com/UMZPULCnvu
— UFC (@ufc) July 22, 2025

Merab Dvalishvili will be in good company if he records a third successful UFC title defense of the year

Dana White recently announced a slew of major matchups, including Dvalishvili’s defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. The event is set to take place at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on October 4 and will be headlined by the light heavyweight championship rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira.

Interestingly, Dvalishvili will have the chance to join one of the men he shares the lineup with, ‘Poatan’, in an impressive category of champions.

Seven titleholders throughout UFC history have achieved three successful defenses in a calendar year. The first was Frank Shamrock in 1998 and the latest was Pereira just last year, when the Brazilian knocked out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. in the space of eight months.

Dvalishvili will have the chance to join Pereira and Shamrock, in addition to Kamaru Usman (2021), Demetrious Johnson (2013), Chuck Liddell (2006), Matt Hughes (2002), and Tito Ortiz (2001), when he makes the walk at UFC 320.

UFC fighters who defended their title successfully 3 times in a calendar year: @MerabDvalishvil – 2025?
Alex Pereira – 2024
Kamaru Usman – 2021
Demetrious Johnson – 2013
Chuck Liddell – 2006
Matt Hughes – 2002
Tito Ortiz – 2001
Frank Shamrock – 1998pic.twitter.com/lJ1JuHizOe
— Ovin Vithanage (@OvinVithanage) July 24, 2025

How Cory Sandhagen plans to stop that from happening

When it comes to how Sandhagen will prevent ‘The Machine’ from joining that exclusive club, he gave a pretty simple explanation.

After Joe Rogan questioned how anybody could beat Dvalishvili in the aftermath of his UFC 316 performance, Sandhagen had a short and sweet answer — knock him out.

“Merab did an awesome job (at UFC 316). I kind of anticipated that Merab was going to look better in this fight,” Sandhagen said during an interview with ESPN MMA.

“Merab is the best guy in the division, maybe one of the best guys in the UFC. I want to take that guy out.

“You’ve gotta knock that guy out,” Sandhagen said when asked how to stop ‘The Machine’ that is Dvalishvili. “That’s it, you’ve just gotta knock that guy out.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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