Merab Dvalishvili could take a giant leap towards the UFC’s bantamweight championship next month.

The Georgian, winner of nine straight fights at 135-pounds, will take on former two division champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 on February 17 knowing that a win would likely cement a shot at Sean O’Malley — the man who claimed the title from Dvalishvili’s close friend and training partner Aljamain Sterling last year.

Dvalishvili’s recent performances have been impressive. Last March, he scored a unanimous decision victory over another former champion, Petr Yan, in a fight which followed a similar result over Jose Aldo in August 2022.

Before those, though, the Georgian fighter scored what remains his only finish in 11 outings in the UFC cage: a TKO win against Marlon Moraes, which you can see below.

–