Merab Dvalishvili Growing as Betting Favorite Over Cory Sandhagen Throughout Fight Week
UFC 320 brings championship action to Las Vegas on October 4, 2025, as bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili attempts his third title defense against challenger Cory Sandhagen. The Georgian champion enters as a heavy betting favorite with odds ranging from -380 to -410, while Sandhagen sits as the underdog at +300 to +320.
Betting Odds Movement
The odds have shifted in favor of the champion since the bout was announced. Initial betting lines opened with Dvalishvili at -335 and Sandhagen at +275, but the champion’s odds have moved to -400 while Sandhagen now sits at +300. This represents a steady increase in confidence from bettors and bookmakers in Dvalishvili’s ability to retain his title.
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Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
Dvalishvili has the opportunity to join an exclusive group of fighters by defending his title three times within a calendar year. Only seven fighters in UFC history have achieved this feat. A victory would also tie him with his training partner and former champion Aljamain Sterling for the most consecutive bantamweight title defenses at three. Sterling currently holds the record for most bantamweight title defenses in UFC history with three successful defenses during his reign from 2021 to 2023.
The champion has already made two successful defenses in 2025, defeating Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January and finishing Sean O’Malley via north-south choke submission at UFC 316 in June. His current 13-fight winning streak ties him with legendary fighters Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Max Holloway, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Demetrious Johnson for the fourth-longest in UFC history.
Sandhagen’s Path to Title Shot
Sandhagen has earned his first undisputed title opportunity after a career filled with elite competition. The Colorado native holds a unique distinction among bantamweight contenders – he has only lost to former or current champions during his UFC tenure. His defeats came against Aljamain Sterling (who became champion), T.J. Dillashaw (former champion), Petr Yan (former champion and interim champion), and Umar Nurmagomedov.
The 33-year-old challenger won four of his last five fights, including victories over Rob Font, Marlon Vera, Song Yadong, and most recently Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO in May 2025. His lone setback during this period was a unanimous decision loss to Nurmagomedov in August 2024.
Champion’s Dominant Run
Dvalishvili’s path to title contention began after losing his first two UFC fights to Frankie Saenz and Ricky Simon in 2017-2018. Since September 2018, he has remained undefeated with victories over former champions including José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and twice over Sean O’Malley. His wrestling-heavy approach has resulted in 97 takedowns landed in the UFC, the most in organizational history.
The champion holds several bantamweight division records including most decision wins (10), most control time (1:22:56), and most total strikes landed (2,233). His cardio and pace have become legendary, with his 49 takedown attempts against Petr Yan setting a single-fight UFC record.
Fight Analysis and Stakes
Sandhagen presents a different challenge than Dvalishvili’s recent opponents. The lanky striker stands 5’11” with a 70-inch reach compared to Dvalishvili’s 5’6″ frame and 68-inch reach. Sandhagen’s striking diversity and submission threat from his back could provide problems for the champion’s wrestling-heavy approach.
Both fighters have shown evolution in their games. Dvalishvili added a submission element to his arsenal with his finish of O’Malley, while Sandhagen has demonstrated improved takedown defense in recent contests. The fight is expected to go the distance, with over 4.5 rounds heavily favored at -360.
UFC 320 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the co-main event serving as the bantamweight title fight underneath the light heavyweight championship rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. For Dvalishvili, victory would further cement his case as the greatest bantamweight in UFC history while potentially setting up a fourth title defense before year’s end.
