Merab Dvalishvili shared his prediction that Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, stating that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will be knocked out when attempting to box with him. Dvalishvili also discussed his own fight with Petr Yan, noting that Yan's body kicks were extremely painful and forced him to pressure forward rather than retreat. On other topics, Conor McGregor reportedly paid compensation to Artem Lobov for unpaid contributions to Proper Twelve, with Lobov satisfied with the undisclosed amount. Carlos Ulberg has reportedly lost his championship belt at a party, while Alex Pereira's physique in recent heavy training footage differs from fan expectations.
Merab Dvalishvili went on record this week with a bold prediction for the upcoming lightweight title fight, forecasting that Ilia Topuria will finish Arman Tsarukyan by knockout.
Dvalishvili argued that Tsarukyan will be unable to get the fight to the ground against Topuria, and that if Tsarukyan opts to stand and trade, he will be knocked out. Dvalishvili spoke from experience in the same division, also reflecting on his own bout with Petr Yan, where he revealed that Yan's body kicks were so painful they forced him to press forward rather than create distance.
Topuria, 29, enters the conversation as the number-two ranked lightweight and the current pound-for-pound number-one fighter in the world. The Spain-based Georgian holds a 17-1-0 record and brings serious finishing credentials, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also averaging nearly two takedowns and more than one submission attempt per 15 minutes.
The interview also touched on several other storylines. Conor McGregor reportedly paid compensation to Artem Lobov over unpaid contributions to the Proper Twelve whiskey brand. Lobov, 39, who fought out of SBG Ireland and carries a 13-15-1 professional record, was said to be satisfied with the undisclosed settlement figure. Separately, New Zealand light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg reportedly misplaced his championship belt at a party. Ulberg, ranked third at 205 pounds, is 35 years old, stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, and owns a 15-1-0 record. The City Kickboxing product lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, among the higher output numbers in his division. Additionally, recent training footage of Alex Pereira drew attention online after his physique appeared to differ from what some fans anticipated.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's analysis carries weight given his own experience competing at the top of the lightweight division
- Topuria's wrestling credentials add credibility to the claim that Tsarukyan may struggle to dictate the grappling exchanges
- The Lobov-McGregor settlement closes a long-running dispute tied to one of combat sports' most publicized business ventures
