Impact The more things change, the more they stay the same. Dvalishvili's 20 successful takedowns (on 37 attempts) were a new UFC record for a five-round fight. It took Merab a round to find his range, but once he did, Sandhagen was toast. Dvalishvili unloaded on the feet throughout Round 2 and nearly earned the stoppage. Two of the three judges gave him a 10-8 score for the frame. From there, Merab constantly pressured Sandhagen, limiting space and making sure his opponent could generate no notable offense. Dvalishvili will be 35 years of age in January, but has shown zero signs of slowing down. Merab has already successfully defended his title three times in 2025. He's essentially cleaned out what was arguably the deepest division in the company not all that long ago. He's in the running, if not the favorite, for the greatest bantamweight fighter of all time.
OCTOBER 5, 2025 • ROTOWIRE
