Dvalishvili went on the hunt for history in Las Vegas on Saturday. “The Machine” attempted to set a new record for most successful UFC title defenses in a single year. Petr Yan had other plans as he avenged a 2023 loss to Dvalishvili via unanimous decision.
Topuria and Dvalishvili have developed a strong bond thanks to their Georgian roots. The reigning UFC lightweight champion got to work Instagram stories to respond to Dvalishvili’s defeat.
“Brother, life is full of twists and turns, but for us you will always be the best,” Topuria wrote. “You will come back much stronger.”
Dvalishvili had three successful title defenses. He scored unanimous victories over Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen. Dvalishvili also presented Sean O’Malley in their rematch. Despite the loss to Yan, many still consider Dvalishvili a strong candidate for Fighter of the Year.
As for Topuria, he is currently on a break as he deals with personal matters. An interim UFC Lightweight Champion will be crowned at UFC 324. Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will compete for gold in Las Vegas on January 24. They will headline UFC’s debut event on Paramount+.
When Topuria is ready to return to action, he will meet the winner of Pimblett vs. Gaethje in a title unification bout. There has been a lot of movement in the lightweight division. Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will compete in a rematch on March 7. The BMF championship is on the line.
In other lightweight news, sixth-ranked Dan Hooker will take on No. 8-ranked Benoit Saint-Denis on Jan. 31 at UFC 325. Also in Sydney, No. 9-ranked Rafael Fiziev will take on No. 14-ranked Mauricio Ruffy.
Stay with BJPenn.com for continued updates on the UFC lightweight division.
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