What’s Next For Dvalishvili After Beating Sandhagen?

Merab Dvalishvili defeated Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 to retain his bantamweight belt, as we look at what is next.

Dvalishvili secured a unanimous decision win, his 14th consecutive victory and third title defense since beating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 to secure the title. Dvalishvili secured 20 takedowns, a new UFC record for a championship fight, while also surpassing 100 takedowns with 117 overall. 

Sandhagen started the fight well, taking the opener with his accurate striking. Dvalishvili then turned it up in the second, stunning Sandhagen with a flurry of strikes, as he dropped his man. While Sandhagen showed heart to survive, Dvalishvili took him down again. The champ’s relentless pace, with strikes to the legs and submission attempts, were enough to take a win on the scorecards: 49-45, 49-45 and 49-46.

Options

One of the options for Dvalishvili is a rematch with former two-time champion Petr Yan. Although Dvalishvili holds a decision victory over Yan from 2023, the champion himself called out Yan in his post-fight interview, indicating a willingness to face him again. A win for Yan would re-insert him into the title picture, while a second decisive victory for Dvalishvili would further clear out the top of the division.

“Yeah, I would love to fight in December because otherwise I have so many other opportunities to travel somewhere. It is good, I love it. I enjoy everywhere I go, but it’s going to take away my fights and the most I enjoy this feeling, fighting. I want to be busy, and I don’t want to make wait too much the next contenders. I think Petr is three-fight win streak, and he’s a former champion, and I think he deserves the title fight. I think so. If UFC wants, I’m ready to fight in December,” Dvalishvili said

An Umar Nurmagomedov rematch remains a possibility. While Dvalishvili already holds a unanimous decision win over him from January 2025, a few more standout performances from Nurmagomedov could quickly necessitate a rematch. Nurmagomedov also broke his hand during the fight, leaving some to suggest he was not 100 percent.

Another high-ranking figure is Marlon Vera, who remains a threat to anyone in the division. While Vera is known for his inconsistent performances in the past, a commanding victory in his next outing would instantly place him in the conversation for a title shot against Dvalishvili, offering a fresh style matchup between the relentless wrestler and the dangerous, pressure-striker.