If the words ‘hard work’ were a person, it would be Merab Dvalishvili. No one expected the Georgian powerhouse to ever come close to a UFC title after he lost his first two promotional fights. But through sheer resilience and pouring every ounce of his blood, sweat, and tears into his training, ‘The Machine’ has become the UFC’s reigning bantamweight champion.
In fact, his nickname, ‘The Machine’, is a perfect encapsulation of his work ethic. But shockingly, the Georgian had actually retired from fighting after three fights, as he told MMA coach extraordinaire, Eric Nicksick on the latter’s podcast. But why did the Georgian bid adieu to MMA (temporarily) after three professional fights?
The answer is simple! It was because of the disastrous way his career began. The current 135lbs kingpin lost two of his first three fights in a regional promotion, which made him feel…
