Merab Dvalishvili rejects bantamweight GOAT talk
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili does not believe he has earned the right to be called the greatest bantamweight of all time.
Last weekend, Merab Dvalishvili shocked many fans and pundits by defeating Umar Nurmagomedov to successfully retain his belt. It was a close, competitive fight but in the last few rounds, the Georgian champ really imposed his will on Umar, with his insane cardio being highlighted as the most impressive tool at his disposal.
Following the result, many began to ask the question: is Merab Dvalishvili the greatest to ever do it at 135 pounds? Dominick Cruz is always the obvious answer when a lot of people ask, but given the body of work put forward by Merab, it’s certainly becoming a topic that requires a little bit of thought.
In the mind of Merab Dvalishvili himself, though, there are one or two names that he’d still put ahead of himself for the time being.
Merab Dvalishvili rejects bantamweight GOAT talk
“No, Aljamain Sterling is the greatest, and don’t forget Dominick Cruz is one of the greatest.”
Not only is Merab Dvalishvili an incredible fighter, but he’s also unbelievably humble. This is a man who has conquered the bantamweight division, and if he decided to retire tomorrow, we genuinely think he’d have a good case for being the greatest of all time at 135 pounds. He may not think that himself, but at this point, what more does he need to prove?
Of course, there’s no doubt that he’ll run into other obstacles for as long as he is champion. Still, between his rise to the belt, beating Sean O’Malley and now getting past Umar Nurmagomedov, it’s difficult to find a more impressive fighter than him at bantamweight when it comes to overall resumes.
Hopefully, we see him get back in there sooner rather than later.
