UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili has opened up about his sparring experiences with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. He described that the sessions were so intense that he is now reluctant to continue training with Topuria.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Dvalishvili revealed the impressive power that Topuria possesses. He also talked about the devastating body shots that twice sent him to the canvas during their sparring sessions.
“I can’t spar with him anymore because he hits hard, it’s too hard,” Dvalishvili admitted candidly. “He dropped me two times from the body shot.”
The Georgian fighter, known for his own impressive durability in the octagon, seemed genuinely relieved when recounting the conclusion of their training sessions. “Thank god my head is fine. Every time I finished sparring with him, I was happy. Thank god it’s over, it’s over.”
Despite the physical toll, Dvalishvili was quick to acknowledge Topuria’s well-rounded skill set, praising other aspects of his game beyond the power that caused him so much discomfort. Dvalishvili noted, “He has great wrestling, great jiu-jitsu,” recognizing the complete package that has helped Topuria rise to championship status.
Topuria recently captured the UFC lightweight title with a spectacular performance against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. The undefeated fighter aims to compete against rival Paddy Pimblett next.
On the other hand, Dvalishvili is currently riding an impressive win streak in the UFC’s bantamweight division as the champion.
Dvalishvili and Topuria are among the most accomplished athletes to emerge from Georgia, a small nation located between Russia and Turkey. Though they now live abroad, both UFC stars proudly represent their homeland.
