Arman Tsarukyan jokingly challenges Merab Dvalishvili to wrestling match

Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili swapped some good-natured trash talk recently, with Tsarukyan jokingly declaring he would beat Dvalishvili ten bouts to seven in a hypothetical wrestling match.

The exchange was sparked when Dvalishvili claimed he would get the better of Tsarukyan on the wrestling mat. Tsarukyan asked about his weight, and when Dvalishvili confirmed he walks around at 70 kg, Tsarukyan pointed out they are the same size and issued his playful challenge. The back-and-forth appears to be nothing more than friendly ribbing between two elite grapplers.

Dvalishvili, 35, carries a 21-5-0 record and holds the number one ranking in the bantamweight division, as well as the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list. The Georgian fighter, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, is one of the most relentless wrestlers in the sport, averaging a remarkable 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. He stands five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach.

Tsarukyan, 29, is the top-ranked lightweight contender with a 23-3-0 record. The Russian southpaw out of American Top Team stands five-foot-seven and carries a 72-inch reach. He averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes of his own and posts a striking accuracy of 50 percent, making him a well-rounded threat at 155 pounds.

Why it matters

• Both fighters are elite-level grapplers in their respective divisions, making the wrestling debate more than just idle chatter
• Tsarukyan sits atop the lightweight rankings, while Dvalishvili is the premier bantamweight contender, so any real crossover remains purely theoretical
• The exchange keeps both fighters in the public conversation heading into their next respective bouts