Merab Dvalishvili disclosed that he was offered a fight against Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 8 in Philadelphia but turned it down. Dvalishvili explained that the matchup did not make sense because Tsarukyan competes two weight classes above him. He ultimately felt glad about his decision after witnessing what Tsarukyan did to Urijah Faber at the event. Dvalishvili expressed disappointment at how Tsarukyan threw Faber out of the mat area, saying there was no need for such actions despite respecting Tsarukyan as a fighter. The bantamweight champion emphasized his respect for what Faber has done for the sport.
