Merab Dvalishvili stated that he likes Arman Tsarukyan as a fighter, but believes Ilia Topuria will knock him out. Dvalishvili predicts Tsarukyan will fail to take Topuria down and will fall trying to box with him. Reflecting on his own loss to Petr Yan, Merab said Yan prepared specifically for him and has a unique, tough style. He recalled that Yan landed painful body kicks twice during their fight, forcing Merab to push forward into strikes because he couldn't escape. Merab emphasized that on that day, he could have beaten everyone except Yan.
Bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili went on record this week with a bold prediction for the lightweight division while also offering a candid look back at the one defeat he feels he could not have avoided.
Dvalishvili, 35, holds a 21-5 record and sits ranked first at bantamweight, operating out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. Known as "The Machine," the Georgian is one of the sport's most relentless grapplers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that defines his entire approach to competition.
Speaking publicly, Dvalishvili said he respects Arman Tsarukyan as a fighter but is firmly convinced that Ilia Topuria will knock him out. His reasoning was straightforward: he does not believe Tsarukyan will be able to take Topuria down, and if the fight becomes a boxing match, Topuria wins that exchange. Topuria, the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world at just 29 years old, carries a 17-1 record and competes as a lightweight ranked second in the division. The Spaniard lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and also adds 1.96 takedowns per 15 minutes of his own.
On the subject of his own loss to Petr Yan, Dvalishvili was reflective rather than bitter. He acknowledged that Yan, a switch-stance bantamweight champion with a 20-5 record and a striking accuracy of 54 percent, came into that fight with a specific game plan tailored to him. Dvalishvili recalled that Yan's body kicks landed with real damage on two separate occasions, and that the pain forced him to press forward directly into punches — removing his ability to dictate distance or disengage safely. His conclusion was measured but telling: on that night, he believed he was capable of beating anyone in the division except Yan.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's Topuria prediction adds weight to the lightweight title picture ahead of Topuria versus Tsarukyan
- His analysis of the Yan loss reveals how rarely a fighter's own grappling volume can be neutralized by a targeted striking plan
- Yan's 5.12 significant strikes per minute made him one of the few opponents capable of punishing Dvalishvili's forward pressure
