Merab Dvalishvili shared his prediction that Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, stating that Tsarukyan will not be able to take Topuria down and will get knocked out when he tries to box with Ilia. Dvalishvili reflected on his fight with Petr Yan, saying he could have beaten everyone that day except Yan, who prepared specifically for him and hurt him badly with body kicks. The post also mentions that Conor McGregor has paid compensation to Artem Lobov for his unpaid contribution to Proper Twelve, with Lobov satisfied with the amount but the exact sum undisclosed. Carlos Ulberg reportedly lost his belt at a party, and there were brief mentions of training updates for fighters.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record with a bold prediction for the upcoming lightweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan, asserting that Topuria will finish Tsarukyan by knockout.
Dvalishvili, Topuria's longtime teammate, argued that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will pay the price when he attempts to trade punches standing up. The Georgian bantamweight contender also reflected on his own loss to Petr Yan, saying Yan had prepared specifically for him and hurt him badly with body kicks — a matchup he believes would have gone differently against virtually any other opponent.
Topuria, 29, currently sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings and is ranked second in the lightweight division with a 17-1 record. Fighting out of Spain, the Orthodox striker lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and also threatens on the ground, averaging nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.
The same interview touched on a separate development involving Artem Lobov, 39, who confirmed that Conor McGregor has paid him compensation for his unpaid contribution to the Proper Twelve whiskey brand. Lobov, a southpaw fighting out of SBG Ireland with a 13-15-1 record, said he was satisfied with the amount, though the exact figure was not disclosed.
Also mentioned briefly was light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg, who reportedly lost his belt at a party. The City Kickboxing product, ranked third at 205 pounds, carries a 15-1 record and leads the division's active contenders in striking output, landing 6.54 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate across his 35 years.
Why it matters
- Topuria's teammate vouching for his wrestling defense adds an insider perspective to one of lightweight's most anticipated matchups
- A Lobov settlement closes a long-running dispute tied to one of MMA's most prominent business controversies
- Ulberg's offhand mention keeps attention on a light heavyweight contender coming off a strong recent run
