Georgian fighters are flying high in the UFC, with a couple of them, Merab Dvalishvili and Ilia Topuria, holding UFC titles and ruling their respective divisions. However, the same cannot be said for some of the amateur fighters hailing from their native land. The Georgian team recently shone at the 2025 IMMAF World Championship, but the results were a mix of triumph and heartbreak.
MMA reporter Giorgi Kokiashvili of Setanta Sports recently revealed in a social media post that there were a considerable number of fighters who represented Georgia at this year’s World Championships, which took place in their country. If you’re wondering how many fighters were on them, the number amounted to 45. Also, these 45 fighters competed in 39 different weight categories, and they did fairly well.
Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili‘s compatriots put on a strong showing at the 2025 IMMAF World Championships. They reportedly earned a total of six medals, proving themselves to be one of the most consistent performers at the amateur level. Out of those six medals, four were silver medals, and a couple were bronze. However, none of the fighters were able to win the top honor on the podium, a gold medal.
The fighters who won the medals were Mariam Topuria, Mirza Gajievi, Giorgi Imerlishvili, and Lekso Sabanadze, who won silver. The bronze winners, on the other hand, were Gia Gatikashvili and Roman Chochisvili. Well, Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili will surely be proud of their compatriots’ showcase at the tournament, but one gold medal could have been the cherry on top of their brilliant showing.
Well, Merab Dvalishvili and Ilia Topuria may not mind the lack of a gold medal triumph at the 2025 IMMAF World Championships because six medals aren’t easy to win. Besides, ‘The Machine’ has always spoken highly of the people back home, calling Georgian fighters “warriors.”
Merab Dvalishvili once hailed the MMA talent pool and love for the sport in Georgia
We can already see how good Georgian fighters really are in the UFC, which should not come as a surprise. In an interview before UFC 311, Merab Dvalishvili claimed that Georgian fighters are always resilient. “We have a big heart, we are warrior people, and we are talented, as well. Maybe I’m not talented! But I mean, Georgians, we are. And for my country, it’s been huge,” he told the UFC.
As the UFC’s global appeal grows year after year, so does its fan base in Georgia. According to ‘The Machine’, more and more people are tuning into the UFC, and fighters are working to make their way to the world’s biggest MMA promotion, as they look up to Merab Dvalishvili and his success. “Everybody is watching UFC now, it’s a top moment in Georgia now. Like, in politics, there is a lot of protesting and stuff. But once they announced my fight, and the news came, I think it was on the cover of all of the news,” he added.