It’s not hard to predict how UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalisvili will approach a fight, but it seems nearly impossible to stop him from following his gameplan. That proved true for Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 320, with Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and takedown attack leading to a clear decision victory for the champ.
Ahead of the fight, Dvalishvili promised to go for the knockout, and he did appear to want to make good on that vow from the opening bell. Dvalishvili stood in striking range and tried to go strike-for-strike with Sandhagen, who was seen as the man with the better striking skills.
After about two minutes of action, with Sandhagen utilizing his length to land clean strikes, Dvalisvili went back to his bread and butter, grabbing a clinch, pushing Sandhagen into the cage and working for takedowns. Sandhagen survived the first grappling blitz to bounce back to his feet after a takedown and was immediately back to landing a mix of strikes, including sharp kicks to the champion’s legs.
Dvalishvili, seemingly having learned his lesson from the opening round, worked his grappling from the jump. While Sandhagen defended takedowns and quickly got back to his feet when the fight did hit the floor, the threat of the takedown left him open to Dvalishvili’s strikes. That led to a huge moment where Dvalishvili stung Sandhagen with a flurry of strikes, clearly hurting him and dropping more punches on the ground, nearly manifesting his pre-fight knockout prediction into reality.
Sandhagen was able to regain his senses and survive the second, having some more success in the striking game in the third, but still struggling with Dvalishvili’s constant forward movement and grappling.
Sandhagen found some life in the fourth round, cracking with overhand rights and uppercuts after fending off more of Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts. It was enough to give the challenger some hope heading into the final round.
Dvalishvili snuffed out that hope quickly, continuing his grappling assault, ending the fight with a UFC championship fight record of 20 takedowns across the five rounds. Sandhagen was able to sting Dvalishvili in the final 15 seconds of the fight, but it was too little, too late, as Dvalishvili had clearly earned the decision.
The official scorecards read 49-45, 49-45, 49-46, all for Dvalishvili.
“I am a machine,” Dvalishvili said after the fight. “… I feel like I’m just starting. Really, before I was just a wild fighter. I had a big heart, of course, but the technique, I’m just learning. My background is not freestyle wrestling; I’m a judo guy. My style was with the kimono and I had to change my style.”
Dvalishvili has clearly stated his desire to lay claim to being the greatest bantamweight fighter ever, and he made it clear that he wants to fight again soon to continue building on his resume.
“I want to be busy, Hunter Campbell and Dana White, if you have a spot in December, I would like a quick turnaround,” Dvalishvili said. “If not, I’ll keep getting better and somebody will be in trouble.”
