Merab Dvalishvili offered his analysis on a potential matchup between Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria, stating that Tsarukyan would be unable to take down Topuria in a wrestling exchange. Dvalishvili went further to predict that Tsarukyan would be knocked out by Topuria in such a contest. The comments represent Dvalishvili's assessment of the stylistic matchup between the two fighters.
Merab Dvalishvili has weighed in on a potential lightweight clash between Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria, offering a blunt verdict: Tsarukyan would neither be able to take Topuria down nor survive the fight on the feet.
Dvalishvili, the number-one ranked bantamweight and currently second in the pound-for-pound standings, made his views clear in a recent interview. The 35-year-old Georgian, who fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team and holds a 21-5 record, is one of MMA's most decorated wrestlers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career, which gives his analysis of wrestling matchups particular weight.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first pound-for-pound, enters any hypothetical contest on the back of a 17-1 record. The 29-year-old Spaniard, known as "El Matador," trains out of Climent Club and stands five-foot-seven with a 69-inch reach. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and also contributes on the grappling end, averaging nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.
Tsarukyan, ranked first in the lightweight division at 23-3, is the same age as Topuria and matches him in height. The Russian, fighting out of American Top Team, carries a 72-inch reach advantage and lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute with 50 percent accuracy. His takedown rate sits at 3.26 per 15 minutes — a solid figure, but one Dvalishvili clearly believes would not translate against Topuria's defensive grappling.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, making any talk of a Topuria matchup a potential title fight conversation.
- Dvalishvili's wrestling credentials add credibility to his specific claims about the grappling dynamic.
- A contrast in reach — Tsarukyan holds a three-inch advantage over Topuria — adds another dimension to the striking assessment Dvalishvili offered.
