Merab Dvalishvili Dominates Corey Sandhagen to Extend Reign

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Merab Dvalishvili Dominates Corey Sandhagen to Extend Reign

Merab Dvalishvili Dominates UFC 320 with Record-Breaking Victory

UFC Bantamweight Championship: Dvalishvili’s Commanding Triumph

Merab Dvalishvili showcased his dominance at UFC 320 in Las Vegas, successfully defending the UFC bantamweight championship with an impressive display against Cory Sandhagen. Extending his winning streak to 14 consecutive victories, Dvalishvili’s (21-4) performance reasserted his place at the top of the bantamweight division.

Strategic Mastery in the Co-Main Event

During the co-main event, Dvalishvili took firm control starting in Round 2, aggressively attacking Sandhagen with a series of punches and achieving eight out of 13 attempted takedowns. The Georgian fighter clinched 33 significant strikes in the round, overwhelmingly overshadowing Sandhagen’s mere two. From that pivotal point, Sandhagen found himself on the back foot.

Relentless Wrestling and Striking Expertise

While Sandhagen, hailing from Aurora, Colorado, managed to stay in the fight, he never posed any substantial threat to the reigning champion. The judges awarded Dvalishvili a unanimous decision, with scores of 49-45, 49-45, and 49-46. Despite not finishing the fight in round two as hoped, Dvalishvili remarked, “My plan was to knock him out. Almost, almost.”

Setting UFC Records and Extending Streaks

Renowned for his wrestling prowess, Dvalishvili set a new UFC record by attempting 37 takedowns, successfully landing 20, the highest ever in a title fight. Notably, this marks the fifth bout where he has achieved 10 or more takedowns, pushing his total UFC career takedowns to 117.

Significance in UFC History

Dvalishvili’s 14-win streak is the fourth-longest in UFC history.
He maintains his top position in the ESPN men’s bantamweight rankings and ranks third pound-for-pound.

As Sandhagen, who hoped to become the sole American male champion after Jon Jones’ retirement, absorbed another loss, the spotlight remains firmly on Dvalishvili, an unstoppable force in the octagon.