Merab Dvalishvili stated in an interview that he believes Arman Tsarukyan is not capable of out-grappling Ilia Topuria and would be knocked out by him. Dvalishvili's comments represent his analysis of how a potential matchup between Tsarukyan and Topuria would play out. The post includes a poll asking whether Dvalishvili's analysis is accurate or if he overrated Topuria's skills.
Merab Dvalishvili has weighed in on a potential lightweight title fight, declaring that Arman Tsarukyan lacks the grappling ability to neutralize Ilia Topuria and would ultimately be finished by the champion.
Dvalishvili, ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound standings, made the comments in a recent interview. The 35-year-old Georgian holds a 21-5 record and trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. He is widely regarded as one of the sport's elite wrestlers, averaging an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career, which gives his grappling assessments considerable weight.
Topuria, the current pound-for-pound number one, carries a 17-1 record and competes out of Spain under Climent Club. The 29-year-old is ranked second in the lightweight division and has built a reputation as a dangerous finisher, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute with 48 percent accuracy. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Tsarukyan enters the conversation as the top-ranked lightweight contender, sitting at 23-3. Also 29, the Russia-born American Top Team product posts a striking accuracy of 50 percent and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes — a solid grappling rate, though one Dvalishvili apparently views as insufficient to trouble Topuria.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the number-one lightweight contender, making any title discussion directly relevant to the division's near-term future
- Dvalishvili's wrestling credentials lend credibility to his grappling breakdown, even though he competes in a separate weight class
- Topuria's combination of striking volume and takedown ability makes the stylistic debate genuinely complex, with reasonable arguments on both sides
