Merab Dvalishvili predicted that Ilia Topuria will knock out Arman Tsarukyan, claiming Arman won't be able to take Ilia down and will fall when he tries to box with him. Merab also discussed his loss to Petr Yan, saying Yan's body kicks hurt so badly he had to press forward because he couldn't run away. In other news, Conor McGregor has paid compensation to Artem Lobov for his unrewarded contribution to creating Proper Twelve whiskey, though the exact amount was not disclosed. Additionally, Carlos Ulberg reportedly lost his belt at a party, and Alex Pereira's physique in recent heavy lifting videos was noted to differ from what fans expected.
Merab Dvalishvili has offered a bold forecast for the upcoming lightweight title picture, predicting that Ilia Topuria will finish Arman Tsarukyan by knockout when the two meet. Dvalishvili argued that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down, and that when the fight moves to the striking game, Topuria will put him away.
Topuria enters that conversation as arguably the most dangerous fighter in the sport. Ranked first pound-for-pound and second in the lightweight division, the 29-year-old Spaniard carries a 17-1 record and lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also adds 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes of his own, giving him the well-rounded toolkit Dvalishvili believes will neutralize Tsarukyan's grappling-heavy approach.
Dvalishvili also reflected on his own loss to Petr Yan, explaining that Yan's body kicks were so damaging he was forced to press forward rather than retreat, effectively removing his ability to dictate distance.
On a separate front, Conor McGregor has reached a financial settlement with Artem Lobov, compensating the 39-year-old Irish fighter for his unacknowledged role in building the Proper Twelve whiskey brand. The exact figure was not disclosed. Lobov, a southpaw standing five-foot-nine with a 13-15-1 professional record, had long maintained he contributed significantly to the brand's creation without receiving adequate reward.
Elsewhere, light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg reportedly lost his belt at a party, according to circulating reports. The New Zealander, ranked third at 205 pounds with a 15-1 record, stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and leads the division's contenders with 6.54 significant strikes landed per minute at 55 percent accuracy. The circumstances around the reported incident remain unclear.
Alex Pereira also drew attention after recent videos of him lifting heavy weights showed a physique that surprised some fans, though no further details on his training or competitive plans were included in the reports.
