Merab Dvalishvili stated that Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, predicting that Tsarukyan won't be able to take Topuria down and will be knocked out when attempting to box with him. Dvalishvili also reflected on his fight with Petr Yan, saying Yan's body kicks were extremely painful and forced him to pressure forward rather than retreat. Additionally, Conor McGregor has paid compensation to Artem Lobov for his unpaid contribution to the creation of Proper Twelve whiskey. The exact amount was not disclosed, but Lobov is reportedly satisfied with the settlement. In other brief notes, Carlos Ulberg lost his belt at a party, and Alex Pereira's physique in heavy weights differed from fan expectations.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record predicting that Ilia Topuria will finish Arman Tsarukyan by knockout, while a long-running financial dispute between Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov has quietly reached a resolution.
Speaking publicly, Dvalishvili argued that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and that the moment Tsarukyan tries to engage in a straight boxing exchange, he will be knocked out. The Georgian wrestling specialist drew on his own experience inside the cage to frame the assessment.
Topuria, 29, currently sits at number two in the lightweight division and holds the number one pound-for-pound ranking with a record of 17-1-0. Fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner, the orthodox striker lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at a 48 percent accuracy rate, and also contributes nearly two takedown attempts per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat at 170 cm tall with a 175 cm reach.
Dvalishvili also reflected on his bout with Petr Yan, noting that Yan's body kicks were exceptionally painful and effectively dictated his in-fight strategy, pushing him to press forward rather than create distance.
On a separate matter, McGregor has reached a financial settlement with Artem Lobov over Lobov's uncompensated contribution to building the Proper Twelve whiskey brand. Lobov, 39, who fights out of SBG Ireland and carries a professional record of 13-15-1, is reported to be satisfied with the outcome. The exact figure was not disclosed.
Elsewhere, light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg reportedly lost his belt at a party. The 35-year-old New Zealander from City Kickboxing holds a 15-1-0 record and ranks third in the light heavyweight division, landing a striking rate of 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy — among the sharper outputs in his weight class.
Why it matters
- Topuria's credentials as a two-division threat make his camp's confidence in a lightweight title run a credible storyline.
- The McGregor-Lobov settlement closes a public dispute that shadowed one of MMA's most commercially successful ventures.
- Ulberg's divisional ranking means even off-card stories about the New Zealander carry weight in a competitive 205-pound landscape.
