Henry Cejudo has expressed admiration for Merab Dvalishvili’s accomplishments in the UFC bantamweight division, even going so far as to call his former opponent the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the division.
Dvalishvili has built an impressive résumé, defeating top-tier opponents such as José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo and Sean O'Malley.
"The Machine" captured the bantamweight title at UFC 306 last September by defeating O’Malley. He successfully defended his title for the first time this past weekend at UFC 311, where he faced undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili won the bout by unanimous decision, earning another Fight of the Night award in the process.
Speaking on the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Kamaru Usman, Cejudo explained why he considers Dvalishvili the bantamweight GOAT.
You have to, man,” Cejudo said. “Yan, O’Malley, Cejudo, Umar, (Marlon) Moraes, Aldo. I mean, he’s fought everybody, dude. He’s beat everybody in this division, you could say in their prime. You just can, man. Merab is the bantamweight GOAT, at least in my eyes. He only has one title defense, but the people who he has beaten is great. Great top-five résumé, maybe in UFC period, right now.
Dvalishvili’s dominance and ability to defeat elite contenders during their prime have solidified his reputation as one of the best fighters in UFC history. As his career continues, the debate over his legacy in the bantamweight division is likely to grow even stronger.