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Merab Dvalishvili’s rise: Daniel Cormier praises his career trajectory

ByHarry KettleMixed Martial Arts Journalist

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has praised the career progression and evolution of Merab Dvalishvili.

Next month, Merab Dvalishvili will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Petr Yan in the main event of UFC 323. If he’s able to win, he will go 4-0 in the year 2025, and in doing so, will establish himself as the greatest bantamweight of all time – as if he doesn’t hold that title already.

Merab Dvalishvili is called ‘The Machine’ and there are plenty of reasons why, and as we look ahead to the future, it certainly feels as if he has the potential to take his game to an entirely new level.

In a recent interview, Daniel Cormier couldn’t help but praise Merab Dvalishvili for what he has been able to achieve in mixed martial arts – and the UFC especially.

Daniel Cormier on UFC 322, Jon Jones' White House chances, champ-champ evolution, more

Daniel Cormier praises Merab Dvalishvili

“He went from being a guy that nobody really paid attention to, to a guy that’s almost universally loved,” Cormier told MMA Junkie Radio. “That was only because he’s ever present, always doing stuff to make sure people care. It’s Merab for me.”

“Oh my God, Merab is making his own way,” Cormier said. “So many people do things, so many guys and girls have been champions, but this guy is doing it in a way that nobody has done it before. That’s what I like. I like that Merab is just, you know, ‘I’m just going to fight, I feel good enough.’ 

“And what’s most impressive is that this dude has hard weight cuts, and he just fights and fights and fights. If we didn’t cut as much weight, if the weight management wasn’t as hard, we would’ve been more active. Merab has those weight cuts, and he’s still fighting four times in one calendar year. Merab, man.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

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