Merab Dvalishvili Surprises with Unusual Pre-Fight Preparation
The UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, has surprised the mixed martial arts world by revealing his peculiar preparation routine for his fights. The Georgian fighter, known for his impressive physical endurance, completed five full rounds of sparring in the gym last weekend in Las Vegas, just hours before his title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. Dvalishvili (21-4) defeated Sandhagen (18-5) by unanimous decision in a fight that, apparently, was his second five-round bout on the same day. During an interview on the Jaxxon Podcast, UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr., Dvalishvili’s teammate at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, confirmed this unusual practice.Wood added that Dvalishvili has maintained this routine since he began training him in 2020. According to the coach, the champion usually performs the five rounds at 70% intensity, which is still an uncommon practice in the sport. Wood describes the preparation as “hard and technical fights”. In addition to the five rounds in the gym, Dvalishvili also performs an intense warm-up in the locker room before each fight. The 34-year-old fighter usually does between three and five more rounds with his teammate and former bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, just before going out to the arena. Dvalishvili is recognized for his exceptional physical condition. In his fight against Sandhagen, he achieved 20 takedowns, raising his total to 117 in his career, the most in UFC history. The fighter has already requested that the UFC schedule his next title defense for December.“This isn’t new. It’s curious that Khalil is the one who revealed it,” commented John Wood, head coach of Syndicate MMA.
John Wood
