In the co-main event of UFC 320, Merab Dvalishvili dominates Cory Sandhagen with relentless takedowns to retain Bantamweight Gold. The spotlight at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, did not only shine on the light heavyweight title rematch but also on the bantamweight division on Saturday, October 4, 2025, as champion Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili defends his belt against striking ace Cory “Sandman” Sandhagen in the co-main event of UFC 320: Pereira vs. Ankalaev 2.
Merab Dvalishvili has emerged as one of the UFC’s most dominant champions. After dethroning Sean O’Malley in September 2024 at UFC 306. He has successfully defended his title twice in 2025. First, against the highly touted Umar Nurmagomedov, and later in a rematch with O’Malley at UFC 316.
On the opposite side stood Cory Sandhagen. After falling short in a 2021 interim title fight against Petr Yan, Sandhagen best known for his knockout power has battled his way back into title contention. His most recent success came in May 2025, when he defeated former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo after the Brazilian suffered a knee injury in the second round. That win added to a strong run of victories, with Sandhagen only dropping a decision to Umar Nurmagomedov in 2024. This fight was a matchup that highlights raw power against calculated skill.
Cory Sandhagen made his way to the Octagon first, followed by reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili. The two touched gloves before the opening bell, showing mutual respect ahead of battle. Sandhagen opened with a feinted punch, while Merab took his time before unleashing a series of strikes. Sandhagen responded in kind, trading clean shots. Merab then shot for a takedown, grabbing hold of one of Sandhagen’s legs, but Cory managed to escape. Moments later, Merab landed punches that sent Sandhagen to the cage and securing another takedown. Sandhagen was pinned and struggled to get free as Merab kept the pressure on. The two exchanged punches and leg kicks until the horn ended round one.
Round two began with Merab immediately grounding Sandhagen with an early takedown. He dragged him back to the fence and completed another takedown, keeping the challenger off balance. Sandhagen eventually scrambled to his feet, returning to the center of the Octagon, but Merab swarmed him again with a flurry of punches followed by another takedown. Sandhagen, clearly beginning to fade, struggled to defend as Merab chained his wrestling attacks together, taking him down back-to-back. From the mat, Sandhagen tried to defend with upkicks but found himself grounded again. He made it back to his feet in the final seconds, but the round closed before he could mount any real offense.
Round three opened with Merab throwing inside leg kicks that Sandhagen managed to defend. Merab shot early again, pressing Sandhagen against the cage for a few seconds before they reset at center. Both fighters exchanged punches in the pocket before Merab attempted another takedown that was initially stuffed. With less than two minutes remaining, Merab finally scored another takedown, maintaining his dominance through the round.
Round four saw Merab open with another leg kick as the two traded strikes. Less than a minute in, the champion once again took Sandhagen down and pinned him on the cage. After returning to the center, Sandhagen found a brief moment of success, landing punches that drew a reaction from the crowd. However, the shots had little effect on Dvalishvili, who answered with another takedown. From there, Merab smothered Sandhagen on the mat and maintained top control until the end of the round.
The final round began at an explosive pace, both fighters exchanging punches right away. Merab quickly secured another takedown, pinning Sandhagen against the fence. Sandhagen fought to his feet and tried to turn the tide, but Merab relentlessly dragged him back to the canvas multiple times. With 26 seconds left, Dvalishvili completed one last takedown as Sandhagen threw desperate leg kicks that failed to land clean. The horn sounded moments later, sealing another dominant performance for “The Machine.” When the official scorecards came, all three judges sided with Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision.
“I think Petr Yan looked good,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s ready and I always keep saying, I want to stay busy. If you have a spot December, I would love to make a quick turnaround.”
Check out the UFC 320 results below.
Main Card
Alex Pereira def. Magomed Ankalaev via first-round TKO (1:20)
Merab Dvalishvili def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (49-45 x2, 49-46)
Jiri Prochazka def. Khalil Rountree via third-round KO (3:04) (live blog)
Youssef Zalal def. Josh Emmett via submission (verbal, armbar) (R1, 1:38)
Joe Pyfer def. Abus Magomedov via submission (RNC) (R2, 1:44)
Preliminary Card
Ateba Gautier def. Treston Vines via first-round TKO (1:41)
Daniel Santos def. Joo Sang Yoo via second-round TKO (0:21)
Jakub Wiklacz def. Patchy Mix via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Muniz via first-round TKO (4:58)
Punahele Soriano def. Nikolay Veretennikov via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Yana Santos def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Farid Basharat def. Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Ramiz Brahimaj def. Austin Vanderford via submission (guillotine) (R2, 2:24)
Veronica Hardy def. Brogan Walker via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
