UFC bantamweight star Merab Dvalishvili had a friendly grappling encounter with a local man during a visit to India. A video circulating online shows the Georgian MMA star effortlessly taking down and slamming his impromptu opponent onto the beach sand.
In the clip, Dvalishvili and the unidentified Indian man can be seen engaging in a spontaneous wrestling match on a beach in Mumbai. The 33-year-old UFC contender quickly executes a single-leg takedown, grounding his opponent. Though the local man briefly catches Dvalishvili’s leg in an attempt to counter, the experienced MMA star quickly regains control, tackling his opponent and slamming him into the sand before a crashing wave ends their oceanside tussle.
The informal grappling session drew an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers cheering from behind the camera. While some dubbed the Indian man a “beach wrestler,” Dvalishvili’s elite wrestling pedigree was clearly on display as he made short work of his willing opponent.
Currently riding a 10-fight winning streak, Dvalishvili is the #1 contender in the UFC’s bantamweight division after defeating former two-division champion Henry Cejudo in his last outing. With his impressive résumé, many believe the man nicknamed “The Machine” is next in line for a title shot against newly-crowned champion Sean O’Malley.
O’Malley himself has acknowleged that Dvalishvili will be his first title defense, stating “Merab’s next. Merab is f***ing next. Your wish is granted” on his podcast, though a date and location have yet to be officially announced.
An exciting striker, O’Malley is a huge fan favorite but many pundits expect Dvalishvili’s wrestling prowess to present a steep challenge for the unorthodox champion. If his casual beach demolition is any indication, the tenacious Georgian will be no easy out for O’Malley when they inevitably clash for bantamweight gold.