Jon Anik brands Merab Dvalishvili as the total package.
Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) claimed the bantamweight title with a dominant win over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Dvalishvili has shown off his cardio by pressing a relentless pace in his 11-fight unbeaten run. Although Dvalishvili has only finished one opponent in the UFC, Anik thinks his durability has to be spoken for.
“I think going into Merab and Sean O’Malley, a lot of people might have fancied Umar (Nurmagomedov) against either guy, and maybe now they’re not so sure just given how dominant Merab was,” Anik told Middle Easy. “Guys like Merab Dvalishvili and Belal Muhammad are never going to get credit for what they do as strikers, if they have a nice jab or a nice point of entry. But man, the total package of Merab – the dude needs to be tested for science, right? And, yeah, I’m saying that maybe for comedic value, but what is inside of there?
“I’m sure you’ve heard Colby Covington talk about the third lung he realized he had when he was eight years old playing soccer. But there’s just something about this champion, this unbreakable will, combined with this cardiovascular base and strength. If you take John Wood at his word, he’s only getting better. So we’ll see if he can start knocking some people out, but Merab’s the man. Couldn’t happen to a better human being, as trite as that may sound. Georgia getting some things done. We’ll see which nation is next.”
With Deiveson Figueiredo booked against Petr Yan in the UFC Fight Night 248 headliner Nov. 23 in Macau, it appears undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov is likely next for Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili has long dismissed Nurmagomedov as a title contender, but said he’d fight him if that’s who the UFC offered.
