UFC 278: Merab Dvalishvili is the fighter to watch

Merab Dvalishvili is the fighter to watch at UFC 278.

On Saturday, UFC 278 will be taking place at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, UT. The show will be headlined by a welterweight title bout between the champion, Kamaru Usman, and the challenger Leon Edwards. However, there will be another big fight on the card that could have a very interesting outcome. In a bantamweight bout, we will see Merab Dvalishvili take on former featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

This could be one of the bigger fights on the card. Dvalishvili made his debut in the UFC back in December 2017. Over the course of his time in the UFC, Dvalishvili has won 14 fights and has lost only four. Most recently, Dvalishvili had an incredible showing against Marlon Moraes in September 2021.

When Dvalishvili met Moraes, he was almost finished in the first round. However, Dvalishvili would rally back into the fight and would end up winning the fight by TKO in round two. This earned him a Performance of the Night award, which was the first of his career.

Merab Dvalishvili’s upcoming fight could have massive bantamweight title match implications

With a win over Aldo, it could propel Dvalishvili to a much higher position on the rankings. Dvalishvili currently sits at No, 6, with Aldo at No. 3. Now, it’s no secret that Dvalishvili wouldn’t face the current bantamweight champion, Ajamain Sterling, because of their friendship.

However, with Sterling defending his bantamweight title against TJ Dillashaw, this could change a lot. Should Sterling drop the championship, then Dvalishvili could stay in the bantamweight division to take on the new champion, in this case, Dillashaw. However, if Sterling were to retain, the most likely thing we would see happen is Dvalishvili drop down in weight class, which he has discussed.

However, one thing is certain, if Dvalishvili can defeat one of the most legendary fighters on Saturday, this could propel him to a prime spot and he could be one fight away from challenging for the title and becoming the first Georgian champion in UFC history.

This Saturday could very well be the biggest fight of Dvalishvili’s career. He is the fighter to watch because he will be looking to make an even bigger name for himself, and prove to himself and the world why he is someone to be taken seriously.

UFC 278 takes place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, live from the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, UT. Follow along with FanSided MMA, who is on-site, for all your news and highlights.