Din Thomas thinks UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili’s best attribute isn’t cardio.
Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) retained his title when he outlasted Umar Nurmagomedov (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) by unanimous decision this past Saturday at UFC 311 from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
After losing the first two rounds on two of the three judges’ scorecards, Dvalishvili took over. While Dvalishvili’s cardio was as impressive as always, Thomas says it’s not what won him the fight.
“I attribute a lot of Merab’s success to his – which is a skill in itself, it’s an under-appreciated skill in itself – and that is his ability to stay comfortable at all times,” Thomas told MMA on SiriusXM. “Nothing makes him uncomfortable. Like, missing a shot? ‘I don’t care.’ Losing two rounds in the beginning? ‘I don’t care.’
“Nothing makes him panic, and he still keeps the same pace. Nothing breaks him. That is a remarkable skill, and I think that’s his biggest strength. It’s not his cardio. I think his ability to just stay focused on task and remain comfortable while he’s doing it is his greatest asset.”
Dvalishvili was a sizable underdog heading into the fight, but was able to remain unbeaten for his 12th straight fight. His past four wins have come over formerly undefeated Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, and Petr Yan.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
