Merab Dvalishvili shared his thoughts on several fighters and recent events. He believes Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, stating that Tsarukyan won't be able to take Topuria down and will get knocked out when he tries to box with him. Merab also reflected on his fight with Petr Yan, admitting that Yan's body kicks were extremely painful and forced him to engage aggressively because he couldn't escape. In other news, Conor McGregor has reportedly paid Artem Lobov compensation for his contribution to the Proper Twelve whiskey brand, with the amount undisclosed but Lobov satisfied. Carlos Ulberg lost his championship belt at a party, while Charles Oliveira is training hard following his departure from the fight team, and Alex Pereira's physique at heavyweight training has surprised some fans.
Merab Dvalishvili has offered candid takes on a handful of notable names in MMA, including a bold prediction that Ilia Topuria will finish Arman Tsarukyan and a frank admission about the damage Petr Yan inflicted on him during their fight.
On the lightweight title picture, Dvalishvili expressed confidence in Topuria, the number-two ranked lightweight and current pound-for-pound number one. The 29-year-old Spaniard carries a 17-1 record and lands an impressive 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. Dvalishvili's view was straightforward: Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down, and the moment he chooses to exchange on the feet, he will get knocked out.
Dvalishvili also looked back at his own bantamweight bout with Petr Yan, acknowledging that Yan's body kicks caused him serious pain. He explained that the damage forced him to press forward aggressively, not out of strategy alone but because he had no clean way to disengage.
Elsewhere in the roundup, Conor McGregor has reportedly settled a compensation dispute with Artem Lobov over Lobov's role in building the Proper Twelve whiskey brand. The 39-year-old Irish fighter, who holds a 13-15-1 professional record, is said to be satisfied with the undisclosed amount received.
The notes also include Carlos Ulberg misplacing his championship belt at a party, Charles Oliveira training intensively following his departure from his previous fight team, and fan reaction to Alex Pereira's physique during heavyweight training sessions. Oliveira, ranked third at lightweight with a 37-11 record and one of the more prolific submission threats in the division at 2.6 attempts per 15 minutes, appears focused on staying active.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's Topuria prediction adds another prominent voice backing the pound-for-pound leader ahead of a potential lightweight title fight with Tsarukyan
- The Yan body-kick detail offers rare insight into how Dvalishvili's pressure style can be shaped by damage rather than pure gameplan
- The McGregor-Lobov settlement closes a long-running public dispute between two former teammates
