« Call for the referee’s removal » – Alarming footage reveals Merab Dvalishvili being choked for a full 60 seconds during his sole stoppage defeat.

Merab Dvalishvili experienced a harrowing loss early in his UFC career.

The determined Georgian fighter has since achieved an impressive 10-fight winning streak, earning him the opportunity to challenge Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title at UFC 306, also known as Noche UFC, on September 14.

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A victory at the £2 billion Las Vegas Sphere would mark an incredible turnaround for Dvalishvili, who began his UFC career with a 0-2 record before becoming a top contender in the 135lb division.

At 33, Dvalishvili faced defeats in two of his first three professional fights but then went on to secure a six-fight win streak, ultimately landing a contract with the promotion from CEO Dana White.

Unfortunately, his UFC debut didn’t go as planned; he lost a split decision to Frankie Saenz in December 2017.

In his second fight, Dvalishvili looked to redeem himself against Ricky Simon but made a critical mistake by going for a risky takedown just 60 seconds before the end of the fight.

Simon quickly capitalized on this error, securing a tight guillotine choke and refusing to let go.

As Simon transitioned to mount, he continued to apply pressure on Dvalishvili’s neck, seeking the finish.

UFC commentator Paul Felder exclaimed, « He’s out! » while the referee observed as Dvalishvili’s body appeared to go limp during the choke attempt.

Despite the precarious situation, Dvalishvili remained in the fight, managing to kick his legs to indicate he was still conscious, even as Felder voiced concerns.

With just 15 seconds remaining, Dvalishvili gave the referee a thumbs-up, but Simon continued to tighten his grip until the bell rang.

Once Simon released the choke, Dvalishvili’s head hit the canvas, and he lay still until Simon alerted the official that his opponent had been rendered unconscious.

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It was only after Simon let go that Dvalishvili finally showed signs of life, insisting he was conscious and attempting to stand before the UFC doctors instructed him to stay down.

Following a lengthy assessment to clarify the situation, referee Liam Kerrigan declared Simon the winner via TKO at 5:00 of the third round.

Frustratingly for Dvalishvili, he believed he had secured his first UFC victory, with judges scoring the bout 29-28, 28-27, and 29-28 in his favor.

As Dvalishvili approaches his title match, clips of his sole stoppage loss have been circulating on social media, with fans expressing disbelief over the length of time he was held in the choke.

One commentator remarked, “The referee needs to be fired immediately.”

Another added, “That’s going to cause brain damage.”

Others noted, « It looks like he may have been out multiple times; he goes totally limp before crashing hard on the canvas. He seems to come to while still in the choke. »

Some joked, “Even Conor McGregor tapped twice watching this.”

Since that incident, Dvalishvili has enjoyed a remarkable series of victories.

Notably, he has secured dominant wins over former champions such as Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and Jose Aldo in his last three fights.

Now, only O’Malley stands in the way of Dvalishvili achieving his championship aspirations.