Merab Dvalishvili stated that while he likes Arman Tsarukyan and considers him an excellent fighter, Ilia Topuria will defeat him. Dvalishvili predicts Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will be knocked out when he tries to box with Topuria. Separately, Dvalishvili reflected on his fight with Petr Yan, saying he could have beaten everyone that day except Yan, who had specifically prepared for him and has a special style. Dvalishvili described Yan's body kicks as extremely painful, noting one hurt so badly he had to press forward on strikes because he couldn't escape. The post also mentions that Conor McGregor paid Artem Lobov compensation for his contribution to Proper Twelve whiskey, though the amount was not disclosed.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record with a bold prediction for the anticipated lightweight clash between Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan, backing his fellow Georgian to finish the fight by knockout.
Dvalishvili, 35, is the number-one ranked bantamweight out of Georgia and competes for the Serra-Longo Fight Team. Sitting at 21-5 and ranked second in the pound-for-pound standings, "The Machine" is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. His endorsement of Topuria carries weight given how closely he has watched his countryman develop.
Topuria, ranked second at lightweight and first pound-for-pound at just 29 years old, carries a 17-1 record and represents Spain out of Climent Club. The southpaw-slayer known as "El Matador" averages 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and Dvalishvili believes those weapons will be the difference. Specifically, Dvalishvili predicted that Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will be stopped once the fight becomes a boxing match.
Dvalishvili also opened up about his own experience facing bantamweight champion Petr Yan. The 33-year-old Russian, who operates out of a switch stance and lands a division-high 5.12 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, presented problems that Dvalishvili said he had not encountered elsewhere. He credited Yan with tailoring a specific game plan and singled out his body kicks as particularly damaging, describing one shot as so painful it forced him to press forward simply because retreating was not an option.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's prediction adds narrative pressure to the Topuria-Tsarukyan matchup, framing it as a striking contest Topuria controls
- His candid breakdown of the Yan loss offers rare insight into how the champion neutralized one of the division's best wrestlers
- Topuria's pound-for-pound ranking means any lightweight title fight carries cross-divisional significance across the entire sport
