UFC Champion Merab Dvalishvili Targets Chicago PPV for Record-Breaking Title Defense

Preview

The current UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, is targeting a pay-per-view event in Chicago for his first title defense. Dvalishvili recently set a new record for the most UFC title defenses at bantamweight, surpassing the previous record held by Aljamain Sterling. His opponent for this historic defense is Umar Nurmagomedov, who earned a title shot to start 2025.

Preview

Dvalishvili's impressive record and his upcoming fight in Chicago are significant highlights in the UFC's 2025 schedule. This fight is part of a series of high-profile events planned for the year, including the first PPV of 2025, which took place recently. The complete 2025 UFC season schedule is available on ESPN, detailing all the upcoming events and matchups.

In addition to Dvalishvili's upcoming defense, other notable champions and their planned defenses include:

Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, is expected to face Jon Jones to unify the titles later in the year.
Ilia Topuria, the featherweight champion, is set to defend his title against Max Holloway.

These events underscore the competitive and dynamic nature of the UFC in 2025, with champions and contenders vying for supremacy across various weight classes.

UFC Champion Merab Dvalishvili Targets Chicago PPV for Record-Breaking Title Defense

Preview

In addition to Dvalishvili's upcoming defense, other notable champions and their planned defenses include:

Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, is expected to face Jon Jones to unify the titles later in the year.
Ilia Topuria, the featherweight champion, is set to defend his title against Max Holloway.

These events underscore the competitive and dynamic nature of the UFC in 2025, with champions and contenders vying for supremacy across various weight classes.