Cory Sandhagen vs. Merab Dvalishvili is one of the two championship fights on the UFC 320 card. The other one is the fight for the Light Heavyweight title, which we’ve analyzed in our Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 preview.
In this post, we’re going to focus on the Merab vs. Sandhagen fight, in which the UFC Bantamweight title is at stake. The championship belt is currently in Dvalishvili’s possession, and based on the UFC 320 odds, it’s going to stay there after October 4.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Merab Dvalishvili | -350 |
| Cory Sandhagen | +285 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: T-Mobile Arena in Vegas
- Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: PPV
Reasons Why Merab Dvalishvili’s UFC 320 Odds are -350
Based on the odds, your top UFC 320 pick should be Merab Dvalishvili. He’s priced at -350, suggesting that bookmakers think he’s going to steamroll his opponent.
This is no surprise, given that the Georgian fighter has been really impressive over the past seven years – that’s how long it’s been since he lost the last time.
Merab is 20-4 overall with his most recent defeat happening back in the spring of 2018 when he lost to Ricky Simon by submission. It was a technical submission as the fight was stopped by the referee. If it were Merab’s decision, he would have kept on going as a machine.
Actually, his nickname, The Machine, tells a lot about his fighting style. He’s a relentless warrior who keeps fighting no matter what his opponents throw at him. Merab’s specialty is wrestling, but the fact is that he can box as well.
Should “The Sandman” be Your Underdog Pick for UFC 320?
Priced at +285, Cory Sandhagen is a big underdog, but he wouldn’t be given a shot at the title if he weren’t a great fighter. He’s 18-5 overall with four losses by decision and one by submission.
The Sandman is a hell of a striker, who lands 5.06 significant strikes a minute. In comparison, Merab’s average is 4.31.
The problem, however, is that his wrestling skills are nowhere near as good as those of Merab. He doesn’t shoot for takedowns very often: 1.28 per 15 minutes, which is nothing compared to Merab’s 5.84.
Furthermore, his TD defense is 63%. That might not sound bad, but we saw him struggle a lot against prolific wrestlers such as Umar Nurmagomedov, who landed five TDs when they fought.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen Prediction
Sandhagen is a fantastic striker, but he doesn’t have the skills (or the power) to become the first man to knock Merab out. He will try to land as many strikes as possible, but the defending champ will put an end to it by landing a takedown and keeping him pinned to the ground.
Dvalishvili might not finish him, but we think he’s going to get a win. He’ll probably grind out another unanimous decision victory.