"It ends with Merab winning" - Ilia Topuria pushes Merab Dvalishvili to chase Alexander Volkanovski super-fight

Ilia Topuria (left) wants Merab Dvalishvili (center) to fight Alexander Volkanovski (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]
Ilia Topuria (left) wants Merab Dvalishvili (center) to fight Alexander Volkanovski (right). [Images courtesy: Getty]

Ilia Topuria wants his Georgian compatriot, Merab Dvalishvili, to pursue new challenges outside the bantamweight division. The UFC lightweight champion has urged Dvalishvili to consider a move to featherweight for a potential showdown with titleholder Alexander Volkanovski.

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Dvalishvili has emerged as one of the most dominant forces at bantamweight. Undefeated since September 2018, he has the fourth-longest win streak in UFC history. His wrestling pressure and durability have made him nearly untouchable at 135 pounds.

With all that in mind, Topuria believes Dvalishvili’s skill set can translate successfully to the 145-pound division. 'El Matador' is particularly confident in Dvalishvili's chances against Volkanovski, whom he previously dethroned to begin his championship rise.

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Speaking in a recent interview with Betsson Sport, Topuria said:

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“Merab is not normal. I told him he needs to change weight classes, because he will 100 per cent win a second belt. I have no doubts about what happens in that [Volkanovski] fight. It ends with Merab winning.”

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:

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For now, Dvalishvili remains focused on his reign at bantamweight, having dispatched Cory Sandhagen in another decisive performance at UFC 320. He is already booked to take on Petr Yan in a rematch at UFC 323, where he will attempt to become the first UFC champion in history to defend a title four times within a single calendar year.


Michael Bisping backs Merab Dvalishvili for potential clash with Alexander Volkanovski

Michael Bisping believes Merab Dvalishvili has earned the opportunity to chase a second UFC title. Dvalishvili has seemingly cleaned out the division with decisive wins over top-ranked opponents.

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Bisping suggested that a move to featherweight could be the logical next step. He believes a matchup with Alexander Volkanovski would provide one of the most intriguing stylistic clashes in the featherweight division.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bisping said:

"If everyone's going to jump around weight classes, if Khamzat Chimaev is going to fight [Alex] Pereira, if Pereira's going to fight Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall. Conor McGregor can do it without defending a belt. Islam Makhachev wants to go up, Ilia Topuria wants to go up. Why can't Merab Dvalishvili go up when he's beaten everyone in the top 10 pretty much? He's lapping the division. Tell me that you don't want to see a fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Merab Dvalishvili. That would be incredible. I would absolutely love to see that fight."

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar
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