Arman Tsarukyan engaged in a playful social media exchange with Merab Dvalishvili about a wrestling match. When Merab claimed he would beat Arman in wrestling, Arman asked about his weight, to which Merab replied 70 kg. Arman responded that he also weighs 70 kg and joked that he could defeat Merab 10-7 in wrestling. The exchange appears to be lighthearted banter between the two fighters rather than a serious callout.
Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili turned social media into a makeshift wrestling room this week, trading playful jabs over who would come out on top in a hypothetical grappling match.
The exchange began when Dvalishvili claimed he would beat Tsarukyan in a wrestling contest. Tsarukyan responded by asking about Merab's weight, and when the Georgian replied with 70 kg, the lightweight contender pointed out he weighs the same — then cheekily declared he would beat Dvalishvili ten to seven. Both fighters appeared to be in good humor throughout, and the exchange reads as friendly banter rather than any kind of serious callout.
Dvalishvili, 35, competes at bantamweight out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team and sits ranked number one in his division and second in the pound-for-pound standings. Carrying a record of 21-5, the Georgian known as "The Machine" is one of the UFC's most relentless grapplers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per fifteen minutes — a figure that makes his wrestling boast far from idle talk.
Tsarukyan, 29, holds a 23-3 record and is the number-one ranked lightweight in the UFC. Fighting out of American Top Team under the nickname "Ahalkalakets," the Russian is no stranger to the wrestling room himself, averaging 3.26 takedowns per fifteen minutes while posting a striking accuracy of 50 percent. He also holds a four-inch reach advantage at 72 inches compared to Dvalishvili's 68.
Why it matters
- The exchange highlights mutual respect and familiarity between two of the UFC's elite competitors.
- Dvalishvili's elite takedown output and Tsarukyan's well-rounded grappling base would make any real matchup between them genuinely compelling on the mat.
- Both men are ranked at the top of their respective divisions, so the banter carries the weight of two fighters with serious championship ambitions behind it.
