Merab Dvalishvili: Aljamain Sterling Is The UFC Bantamweight GOAT

Merab Dvalishvili: Aljamain Sterling Is The UFC Bantamweight GOAT

UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defended his title for the first time at UFC 311. The 34-year-old had an outstanding performance that earned him respect across the MMA world. It even had some questioning if he was the greatest bantamweight of all time. Dvalishvili quickly shut down that discussion, however.

Dvalishvili discussed his status among the bantamweight legends in his UFC 311 post-fight press conference.

“No, Aljamain Sterling is the greatest,” Dvalishvili said. “And don’t forget Dominick Cruz is still one of the greatest.”

Dvalishvili has had a sensational run in the bantamweight division. His UFC 311 title defense at UFC 311 marked his 11th straight victory in the bantamweight division. That extended his record for the most consecutive wins in the weight class. This run includes wins over Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, Marlon Moraes, and others. It is a legendary run.

Despite his success, Dvalishvili tips his caps to others who held the title before him. That begins with his friend and training partner Aljamain Sterling. Plus, he gave respect to Dominick Cruz. Those are certainly fighters who need to be brought up in any discussion about being the bantamweight GOAT.

Sterling built his legacy through a nine-fight run that included three title defenses against Petr Yan, T.J. Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo. Cruz’s legacy is much harder to pin down because of his injury issues. Despite that, he still defended the title three times while defeating legends like Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw, and Urijah Faber.

Dvalishvili, Sterling, and Cruz all have a case for being the bantamweight GOAT. Regardless of the correct answer, Dvalishvili’s opinion speaks volumes about his character. A lot of UFC champions get the title and immediately proclaim they greatest to compete in the weight class without a thought about the legends who came before them. That is not what Dvalishvili did. Instead, he gave a nod to the fighters who had historic runs in the division. In all honesty, both are probably more deserving of the title than Dvalishvili.

If Dvalishvili can continue to add to his bantamweight legacy, there is a possibility that he can shut down the debate and become the bantamweight division’s undisputed GOAT. At that point, fighters, fans, and the media may give him the crown even if he does not want it.

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