Merab Dvalishvili in corner as Levan Chokheli lights up UFC debut with 23-second finish

Merab Dvalishvili’s corner guidance helped Levan Chokheli shock Leon Shahbazyan in Las Vegas on 18 June at UFC Fight Night 279.

What happened in the main debut?

Levan Chokheli needed just 23 seconds to end Leon Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 279 on 18 June in Las Vegas. Chokheli, making his UFC bow with Dvalishvili in his corner, shot low then drove strikes to the midsection before crumpling Shahbazyan with a brutal combination. The finish earned Chokheli a $25,000 bonus for his debut performance.

Why it matters for Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili, the Georgian bantamweight contender, has built a reputation for cornering rising talent and refining their game plans. Chokheli’s rapid stoppage under Dvalishvili’s watch adds another name to the list of fighters sharpened by the Team Alpha Male standout. The debut also keeps Dvalishvili’s network of protégés in the spotlight as he eyes his own next move.

How the rest of the card played out

Elsewhere on the card, Vinicius Oliveira outpointed Andre Fili in a featherweight debut, while Manel Kape rallied to knock out Kyoji Horiguchi in a flyweight rematch. Murtazali Magomedov made his UFC debut by tapping Melsik Baghdasaryan with the fourth twister submission in UFC history. Bia Mesquita and Christian Rodriguez also pocketed finish bonuses with slick submissions, while Navajo Stirling overcame early adversity to stop Ion Cutelaba.

What comes next for Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili remains on the hunt for a bantamweight title shot after his last outing. With Chokheli’s debut win adding momentum to his camp, the Georgian star can focus on finalizing his own next opponent while his team continues to produce results in the cage.