Merab Dvalishvili stated he believes Ilia Topuria will defeat Arman Tsarukyan, predicting that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will be knocked out when he tries to box with him. Dvalishvili also reflected on his fight with Petr Yan, saying Yan prepared specifically for him and was a tough fighter with a unique style, landing painful body kicks that forced him to engage rather than escape. In other news, Conor McGregor has paid Artem Lobov compensation for his unpaid contribution to creating Proper Twelve whiskey, with the amount undisclosed but Lobov reportedly satisfied. Carlos Ulberg has reportedly lost his belt at a party, and Alex Pereira's physique in the heavyweight division differs from what fans expected.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record predicting that Ilia Topuria will finish Arman Tsarukyan, while Conor McGregor has resolved a long-running dispute with Artem Lobov over the creation of Proper Twelve whiskey.
Speaking publicly, Dvalishvili argued that Tsarukyan will struggle to take Topuria down and will eventually be knocked out when he attempts to engage in a boxing exchange. The Georgian-born bantamweight contender also reflected on his own recent outing against Petr Yan, acknowledging that Yan arrived with a specific game plan tailored to neutralize him. Dvalishvili noted that Yan's body kicks were particularly effective, forcing him to engage rather than dictate the pace on his own terms.
Topuria, ranked second in the lightweight division and first in the pound-for-pound rankings, carries a 17-1 record and is 29 years old. Fighting out of Spain, the orthodox striker lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at a 48 percent accuracy rate and also contributes on the ground with nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes.
McGregor has paid Lobov an undisclosed sum as compensation for Lobov's unpaid role in developing the Proper Twelve brand. Lobov, a 39-year-old southpaw who fights out of SBG Ireland and holds a 13-15-1 record, is reportedly satisfied with the settlement. The dispute had centered on Lobov's contribution to the whiskey's creation going unrecognized financially.
In separate news, light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg has reportedly misplaced his divisional belt at a party. Ulberg, ranked third at 205 pounds and fighting out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand, holds a 15-1 record and leads the division in striking output at 6.54 significant strikes per minute with a 55 percent accuracy rate. The six-foot-four New Zealander with a 77-inch reach is among the most active strikers in the weight class.
Additionally, reports indicate that Alex Pereira's physical appearance in the heavyweight division has differed from fan expectations, though no further details were confirmed.
