Armenian lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan engaged in playful banter with bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili on social media, joking about a wrestling match between them. When Dvalishvili claimed he would beat Tsarukyan in wrestling, Arman asked about his weight, with both confirming they weigh around 70 kg. Tsarukyan then boasted he could defeat Dvalishvili 10-7 in a wrestling bout. The exchange appears to be lighthearted competition between the two fighters from neighboring countries. Both fighters are currently active in the UFC and known for their wrestling-based styles. The post provides limited details beyond this brief social media interaction.
Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili took their friendly rivalry to social media this week, trading playful jabs over who would come out on top in a hypothetical wrestling match.
The exchange began when Dvalishvili claimed he would beat Tsarukyan on the mat. The Armenian lightweight shot back by asking about Dvalishvili's weight, with both men confirming they walk around at roughly 70 kilograms. Tsarukyan then declared he would beat Dvalishvili ten rounds to seven in a straight wrestling contest — a bold claim delivered with clear tongue-in-cheek intent.
Tsarukyan, 29, competes out of Russia and trains with American Top Team. Ranked first in the lightweight division with a record of 23-3-0, he is one of the most dangerous contenders in a stacked 155-pound class. Standing five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach, he lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes — a well-rounded profile that makes the wrestling boast more than just idle talk.
Dvalishvili, nicknamed "The Machine," is the reigning UFC bantamweight champion and currently ranked second pound-for-pound. The Georgian fighter carries a 21-5-0 record and represents Serra-Longo Fight Team. At 35, he remains one of the most relentless wrestlers in the sport, averaging a staggering 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that gives him genuine grounds to back up his own claim.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are elite wrestlers within their respective divisions, making the debate genuinely competitive
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender while Dvalishvili holds the bantamweight title, putting two of the UFC's premier grapplers in conversation
- The banter highlights the close-knit nature of fighters from neighboring nations in the post-Soviet region, with both men clearly comfortable enough to engage in public back-and-forth
