Merab Dvalishvili may have (finally) won his most difficult battle to date — securing the approval of UFC CEO, Dana White.
“He wants to be the first guy to defend his title that many times in a year,” White added. “If you look at what he’s gone out there and done, and how he’s proven himself as a fighter, and as a world champion, it’s impressive.”
Dvalishvili (21-4) has now won 14 straight fights, which leaves him in fourth place for the all-time record. “The Machine” can pull even with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at 16 with just two more wins; however, he’s currently trailing former lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev, tied with Kamaru Usman at 15.