Arman Tsarukyan jokingly challenges Merab Dvalishvili to wrestling match

Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili exchanged some lighthearted trash talk on social media, with Tsarukyan playfully challenging the Georgian grappler to a wrestling match and boasting he would win by a score of 10-7. The banter was sparked after Dvalishvili claimed he would beat Tsarukyan in a wrestling contest, prompting the lightweight contender to fire back with a mock acceptance. The two also confirmed they both walk around at roughly 70 kilograms, adding a dose of realism to an otherwise tongue-in-cheek exchange.

Tsarukyan, 29, competes at lightweight and currently sits as the number-one ranked contender in that division. Representing Russia and training out of American Top Team, the fighter known as Ahalkalakets carries a 23-3-0 record and brings genuine grappling credentials of his own, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 50 percent.

Dvalishvili, nicknamed The Machine, is no stranger to wrestling conversation. The 35-year-old Georgian is ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound rankings, sporting a 21-5-0 record. He trains at Serra-Longo Fight Team and is widely regarded as one of the most relentless wrestlers in the sport, averaging an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Both men are top-ranked contenders in their respective divisions, giving even playful interactions between them considerable attention
• Dvalishvili's wrestling reputation is a central part of his identity, making Tsarukyan's mock challenge a pointed jab
• The two compete in different weight classes, but the shared 70 kg walk-around weight adds an interesting footnote to the exchange