His second defense came against Sean O'Malley, the man he defeated for the title the first time, in a rematch at UFC 316 on June 7th, where Dvalishvili submitted the former champion with a north-south choke in the third round. The finish earned him a Performance of the Night award and also marked Dvalishvili's first finish since 2021, when he TKO'd Marlon Moraes.

Dvalishvili's third title defense came against former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 on October 4th, securing another unanimous decision victory. Just two months later, he faced former champion Petr Yan in a rematch at UFC 323 on December 6th, where his run came to an end via a dominant unanimous decision loss.

Time For a Break?

Following Dvalishvili's loss to Yan, former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping weighed in on what's next for the former champion. Speaking on the JAXXON podcast, Bisping suggested a reccomended approach for Dvalishvili's return.

"I think if Merab takes some time off, maybe 6 months off, let Petr Yan fight Umar Nurmagomedov, and then come back and fight the winner. Taking 6 months away, go to Georgia, spend time with family, and don't think about fighting."

This move would affect Dvalishvili's brand, who's built himself up as one of the most active fighters in the UFC across the last year and a half, but it might be a necessary change. But, at the same time, if he believes he can defeat Petr Yan and reclaim his title, he won't want to miss out on the oppotuntiy to fight in the trilogy immediately

What do you think Merab Dvalishvili should do in 2026? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.