Monster Energy congratulates Merab Dvalishvili on defending the UFC's Bantamweight World Championship title at UFC 311.

INGLEWOOD, Calif., Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Still the Champion! Monster Energy congratulates Merab Dvalishvili on defending the UFC's Bantamweight World Championship title at UFC 311 on Saturday night. In the co-main event inside Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the 34-year-old from Tbilisi, Georgia, went the distance to earn a unanimous decision victory against Umar Nurmagomedov. The epic five-round clash also earned both fighters the UFC's $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Moicano was contested in front of a live crowd of 18,370 spectators inside Intuit Dome in Inglewood. With five fights on the Main Card, the event was broadcast on ESPN pay-per-view, and Prelims streamed on the ESPN+ platform.

Monster Energy's Dvalishvili (28-1) stepped into the Octagon in his first defense of the UFC's Bantamweight title. Dvalishvili earned the belt by defeating Sean O'Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024.

His opponent, 29-year-old Nurmagomedov (18-1) from Russia, took on the title bout with an undefeated fight record in the UFC. Considered a top contender for the bantamweight division crown, would he be able to take the belt from Dvalishvili – or suffer his first defeat?

From the opening bell, both fighters held no punches and engaged early in heavy striking exchanges. Nurmagomedov pressured the champion, but Dvalishvili fired back with massive force behind his punches. At the end of an intense first round, Nurmagomedov stung Dvalishvili with a staggering right to the chin.

The second round saw Nurmagomedov land a heavy strike that bloodied Dvalishvili's nose, but the champion refused to step down the pace. Round three marked a major shift in power dynamics as Dvalishvili resorted to his grappling skills. He shut down the challenger's attacks with a series of takedowns, followed by swift punch combinations that wore down Nurmagomedov's stamina.

Now that the tide had turned, Dvalishvili established dominance in the final two rounds. Alternating his superior wrestling and relentless strikes, the champion outpaced the challenger. Right before the final bell, Dvalishvili shook the Russian with a heavy right hand, followed by another takedown to end the brutal fight on a spectacular note.

When all was said and done, the judges named Dvalishvili the winner by unanimous decision after five rounds (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). The epic battle, marking Nurmagomedov's first defeat, also earned both fighters the UFC's $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

"You guys know. You know I'm training all the time. I am the machine," said Monster Energy's Dvalishvili upon defending his title at UFC 311. "I'm a harder worker. The whole world was against me. I believe in my hard work… I believe in myself."

On the strength of Saturday's victory, Dvalishvili is now on a twelve-fight win streak. Stay tuned as "The Machine" continues his reign in the 135-pound division!

Merab Dvalishvili counts amongst Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes along with Kamaru Usman, Jon Jones, Marlon Vera, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Yair Rodriguez, Jessica-Rose Clark, Valentina Shevchenko, Brandon Moreno, Gilbert Burns, Giga Chikadze, Johnny Walker, Beneil Dariush, Brendan Allen, Jalin Turner, Sean Strickland, Zhang Weili, Dan Ige, Alex Pereira, Diego Lopes, Daniel Zellhuber, Derrick Lewis, Belal Muhammad, Alexa Grasso, Dricus Du Plessis, Raul Rosas Jr., and Tatsuro Taira.

For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.

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