Merab ‘The Machine’ Dvalishvili pulled off an impressive bantamweight title defence against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 on January 18. Merab became the first MMA fighter in history to defeat a member of the Nurmagomedov family as others such as Khabib and Usman remain undefeated till date.
Merab’s popularity is on the rise as we speak. Here’s a look at a few questions fans might have about ‘The Machine’.
Merab Dvalishvili religion
Contrary to popular belief, Merab is not a Muslim. Being a devoted follower of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the number one ranked bantamweight belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church, which claims apostolic beginnings. It is related to one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, Saint Andrew.
Place of birth
Dvalishvili was born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR (which was part of the Soviet Union at the time). However, the year he was born, the USSR disintegrated and broke off into independent countries. Therefore, Dvalishvili was raised in independent Georgia.
When did he move to the United States?
‘The Machine’ moved to the United States at the age of 21 to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion in the UFC. After relocating, he started training with Matt Serra and Ray Longo, who continue to coach him even to this day.
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Is Merab Dvalishvili an American?
Merab has been staying in the US for more than 12 years now. However, there is no concrete information that suggests he is an American citizen at this point in time.
How old is ‘The Machine’?
Dvalishvili was born on January 10, 1991. So at present, he is 34 years old.
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What is Merab Dvalishvili’s MMA record?
The 33-year-old started fighting as a professional in January 2014. The first professional MMA fight of his career was a loss. But he did not look back after that and currently has a record of 19 wins and four losses. Of the 19 wins in his career, Dvalishvili has three knockout wins and one submission.
