It`s undeniably clear that Georgia holds immense affection for Merab Dvalishvili.
This past Wednesday, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion made his return journey to his home country. His arrival at the airport was met with an absolutely massive outpouring of support, as thousands of fans mobbed him. This triumphant homecoming occurred shortly after Dvalishvili`s standout performance at UFC 316 over the weekend, where he impressively defeated Sean O’Malley via third-round submission.
Videos widely shared on social media platforms depicted Dvalishvili surrounded by an ecstatic crowd the moment he stepped off the plane, marking the beginning of his celebratory tour back home.
The enthusiastic reception didn`t stop at the airport. Dvalishvili later boarded a double-decker bus, with fans on motorcycles excitedly speeding alongside, simply hoping to catch a glimpse of their returning champion.
This extraordinary scene perfectly illustrates Dvalishvili’s rapidly growing popularity and the deep pride he consistently inspires in Georgia whenever he competes.
Joining Dvalishvili was his head coach, John Wood. Wood shared insights into the champion`s character, emphasizing how Merab never hesitates to connect with his fans, often stopping whatever he`s doing to ensure everyone gets a moment with him.
“He really is that guy,” Wood conveyed to MMA Fighting. “Merab is the nicest, funniest, loving dude. He will sign every freaking autograph, talk to every single person, he loves it. He would go and do every event. He never says no.
“I’ve seen him so many times, it takes us hours to get places when we’re with him because he’ll jump out of the van and just start signing [autographs] for people on the street corner and then a herd comes and he won’t turn anybody down.”
Dvalishvili certainly received this level of heartfelt reception back in Georgia, where he is set to continue celebrating his recent victory, which marks his second consecutive title defense following his win against Umar Nurmagomedov in January.
