Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili engaged in a playful exchange about a potential wrestling match. Dvalishvili claimed he could beat Tsarukyan in wrestling, to which Tsarukyan asked about weight. When Dvalishvili said he weighs 70 kg, Tsarukyan responded that he weighs the same. Tsarukyan then jokingly claimed he could win 10-7 against Dvalishvili in a wrestling bout. The exchange appears to be lighthearted banter between the two fighters rather than a serious callout.
Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili took a break from serious fight talk recently, trading playful jabs over who would come out on top in a hypothetical wrestling match.
The exchange started when Dvalishvili, the number-one ranked bantamweight contender and second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, claimed he could beat Tsarukyan on the mat. The 35-year-old Georgian, known as "The Machine," carries a 21-5 record and trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. His grappling credentials are well established inside the Octagon, where he averages an elite 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, making the boast anything but empty.
Tsarukyan, however, was quick to push back. The 29-year-old Russian, who fights out of American Top Team and holds the number-one ranking at lightweight, responded by asking about weight. When Dvalishvili said he comes in at 70 kg, Tsarukyan confirmed he walks around at the same weight. He then jokingly declared he would beat Dvalishvili 10-7 in a wrestling contest. Tsarukyan owns a 23-3 record and brings his own solid grappling game to the table, averaging 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a 50 percent striking accuracy that ranks among the best in his division.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, while Dvalishvili sits at number one in the bantamweight division, making both men prominent figures in their respective title pictures.
- The banter highlights the grappling pedigree both fighters carry, even if this particular exchange was strictly lighthearted.
- The two fighters compete in different weight classes, so the exchange reflects mutual respect and competitive instinct rather than any genuine cross-divisional rivalry.
