Merab Dvalishvili stated that while he likes Arman Tsarukyan and considers him a wonderful fighter, Ilia Topuria will defeat him. Dvalishvili believes Tsarukyan won't be able to take Topuria down and will get knocked out when he tries to box with Ilia. In discussing his own fight with Petr Yan, Merab explained that Yan was particularly well-prepared and has a special style as a tough fighter. He described experiencing severe pain from Yan's body kicks, noting that the second body kick hurt so badly he had to charge forward into strikes because he couldn't escape. Additionally, it was reported that Conor McGregor paid Lobov compensation for his contribution to Proper Twelve, though the amount was not disclosed, and that Carlos Ulberg lost his belt at a party.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record with a blunt prediction for Ilia Topuria's upcoming lightweight title defense against Arman Tsarukyan, declaring that Topuria will knock Tsarukyan out when the Armenian challenger attempts to trade on the feet.
Dvalishvili expressed genuine respect for Tsarukyan, calling him a wonderful fighter, but was firm in his assessment. He believes Tsarukyan will be unable to secure takedowns against Topuria and that any attempt to box with him will end badly. The Georgian bantamweight champion spoke from experience, having shared the cage with elite competition throughout his own career.
Topuria, 29, currently sits at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings and holds a 17-1 record as the number-two ranked lightweight in the division. Fighting out of Spain under the Climent Club banner, "El Matador" lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes — a well-rounded threat that Dvalishvili clearly believes Tsarukyan is ill-equipped to neutralize.
Dvalishvili also reflected on his own previous fight with Petr Yan, describing it as a grueling experience against a particularly well-prepared opponent. He singled out Yan's body kicks as a source of severe pain, noting that the second kick hurt so badly that he was forced to rush forward into punches simply because retreating was not an option.
Separately, two other notable items emerged from the same interview. Conor McGregor has reportedly paid Artem Lobov financial compensation for Lobov's contribution to the Proper Twelve whiskey brand, though the specific amount was not disclosed. Lobov, 39, is a southpaw fighter from Ireland who competed under the SBG Ireland banner throughout his career. Also reported was that Carlos Ulberg, the 35-year-old New Zealand light heavyweight ranked third in his division, lost his belt at a party. The six-foot-four City Kickboxing product carries a 15-1 record and leads the division in striking output at 6.54 significant strikes per minute.
