Merab Dvalishvili has offered his prediction for a potential matchup between Ilia Topuria and Arman Tsarukyan, favoring his Georgian compatriot. Dvalishvili stated that while he likes Tsarukyan as a fighter, he believes Topuria will defeat him. He predicts Tsarukyan won't be able to take Topuria down and will get knocked out when he tries to box with the featherweight champion. Dvalishvili also reflected on his own fight with Petr Yan, acknowledging Yan's special preparation and tough fighting style. He specifically mentioned painful body kicks from Yan that forced him to press forward rather than retreat. Dvalishvili stated he could have beaten anyone that night except Yan.
Merab Dvalishvili has gone on record predicting that his Georgian compatriot Ilia Topuria will knock out Arman Tsarukyan if the two ever meet inside the octagon.
Dvalishvili, 35, is the top-ranked bantamweight contender at 21-5-0 and currently sits second in the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of Georgia and training with the Serra-Longo Fight Team, "The Machine" is one of the sport's most relentless grapplers, averaging an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. His loyalty to Topuria is no surprise given the pair share Georgian roots.
Topuria, now 17-1-0 and competing at lightweight, holds the number-two divisional ranking and the top spot on the pound-for-pound list. The 29-year-old from Spain known as "El Matador" carries genuine finishing power, averaging 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy while also threatening with nearly two takedown attempts per 15 minutes. Dvalishvili's assessment is straightforward: Tsarukyan will be unable to take Topuria down and will be knocked out the moment he tries to exchange on the feet.
Dvalishvili also used the interview to revisit his own recent loss to Petr Yan. He credited Yan, now 20-5-0 and the bantamweight champion, with exceptional preparation and a particularly punishing body-kick attack that forced Dvalishvili to press forward rather than create distance. Despite the defeat, Dvalishvili suggested the specific problems Yan created were unique, saying he felt capable of beating anyone else that same night.
Why it matters
- Topuria, the pound-for-pound number one, moving to lightweight adds intrigue to any potential matchup with Tsarukyan, a top contender in that division.
- Dvalishvili's insider perspective on Topuria's finishing ability carries weight given their shared background and close professional ties.
- His candid reflection on the Yan loss provides rare public detail on how the bantamweight champion's style neutralized one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers.
