One by one, Merab Dvalishvili is mowing down contenders, and now, legends. After rag-dolling Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 and defending his bantamweight title with a dominant submission finish, ‘The Machine’ now finds himself just one name away from the top of the UFC’s pound-for-pound list!

Leapfrogging both Jon Jones and Ilia Topuria, the Georgian is now hot on the heels of the P4P king, Islam Makhachev.  MMA journalist John Morgan broke the news on X, writing, “The Machine” is the UFC’s No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Following #UFC316, @MerabDvalishvil moves up two spots – past Ilia Topuria and Jon Jones – and now sits only behind Islam Makhachev. Sean O’Malley is off the list, allowing Arman Tsarukyan to return at No. 15.”

That’s a seismic shift. Especially considering Topuria, now ranked fourth, is about to headline UFC 317 against Charles Oliveira in a lightweight title bout. While ‘El Matador’ has proclaimed that he’ll make short work of Oliveira, ‘Do Bronx’ could derail those plans if he stops him in his tracks.

And Islam Makhachev? He remains the undisputed No. 1, but rumors suggest a high-stakes clash with welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena could be brewing before year’s end.  But this latest reshuffling didn’t happen by accident. At UFC 316, Dvalishvili made good on a promise to silence O’Malley once and for all.

In their September 2024 meeting, he played it safe to secure gold. This time, he said he wanted to take risks, and he did. A third-round north-south choke sealed the deal, and later, in a conversation with Ariel Helwani, ‘The Machine’ stated, “He was doing much better footwork, and he fixed the mistakes that he made in the first fight. He fixed those things, but I got much better from the last fight, and I fixed that too.”

The victory extended his win streak to 13, tied for the fourth-longest in UFC history. And with back-to-back defenses already in 2025, the 34-year-old is beginning to look untouchable at 135 pounds. As for Jon Jones, his unification bout with interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall remains in limbo, and the inactivity is starting to cost him, as evidenced by his fall from grace in the P4P rankings.

Now, the question becomes, is there anyone who can stop the Georgian juggernaut? If there is, Merab Dvalishvili believes he already shook hands with him backstage in Newark.

Merab Dvalishvili sets his sights on Cory Sandhagen after jumping P4P rankings above Jon Jones and Ilia Topuria

Cory Sandhagen isn’t loud, but his resume does the talking. He’s taken out top contenders like Song Yadong and Marlon “Chito” Vera, and most recently, Deiveson Figueiredo. So, while Merab Dvalishvili dominated headlines at UFC 316, ‘The Sandman’ was quietly watching cageside, possibly scouting his next challenge.

Backstage, the two even shared a light exchange. No trash talk, just respect. But when fight talk kicked in, the tone shifted. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, the bantamweight champion stated, “He’s a new style. We’ve never fought each other, and we know there is no MMA math. The style makes the fight, and Cory, he’s a different style. It will be a test for me.”

That’s rare honesty from a reigning champ. And with O’Malley out of the picture and Petr Yan reportedly booked elsewhere, Sandhagen might just be next in line. Sure, there are others on the radar. The Georgian named Mario Bautista as someone who’s caught his attention recently. But no one has ‘The Sandman’s mix of experience, momentum, and unpredictability.

And what about Alexandre Pantoja? If the flyweight champ beats Kai Kara-France at UFC 317, the idea of a superfight at bantamweight could come to life. According to Dvalishvili, “I respect Pantoja. Pantoja will be a tough opponent for me. If Pantoja wants this and if the UFC wants this, I have no problem with that.”

To wrap things up, with Jon Jones falling behind and Ilia Topuria chasing his own legacy at lightweight, the Georgian wrecking machine is now just one step from the P4P summit. Whether it’s Cory Sandhagen with his elusive style or a flyweight superfight with Alexandre Pantoja, challengers are circling. Who has the best chance to end ‘The Machine’s reign atop the bantamweight division? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!