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Georgian-American mixed martial artist (born 1991)
Merab Dvalishvili is a Georgian and American professional mixed martial artist and sambo practitioner. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Bantamweight Champion. Dvalishvili is considered one of the greatest Bantamweights of all time. He is also the first Georgian-born champion in UFC history. As of May 12, 2026, he is #1 in the Meta UFC bantamweight rankings, and as of September 22, 2026, he is #9 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.
More on Wikipedia ↗American mixed martial artist (born 1998)
Payton Anthony Talbott is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2021, he earned his contract with the promotion after going through Dana White's Contender Series. As of October 6, 2026, he is #7 in the Meta UFC bantamweight rankings.
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American mixed martial arts promotion company
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, itself a majority owned subsidiary of the WME Group. The largest MMA promotion in the world, the UFC has over 578 fighters contracted that fight across 11 weight divisions. The organization produces events worldwide and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. As of 2026, it had held over 750 events. Dana White has been its president since 2001 and CEO since 2023.
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Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch has given his thoughts on his student possibly taking on rising star Payton Talbott.