Merab Dvalishvili: The UFC Champion with an Unusual Routine
The UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, completed a full five-round training session at the gym last weekend in Las Vegas, approximately nine hours before his title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. Dvalishvili (21-4) defeated Sandhagen (18-5) by decision, in what was apparently his second five-round fight that day. During an appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast, UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr., teammate of Dvalishvili at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, revealed that the champion trained five rounds hours before heading to the arena. Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood confirmed the information.According to Wood, the five rounds are slightly modified, as the fighters go “around 70 percent.” Even so, it’s an uncommon practice in the sport and, in Wood’s words, aims to be “tough, technical.”This isn’t new. It’s funny that Khalil is the one saying it. Merab has been doing this since I started training him [in 2020]. Every fight day, he comes in and trains for five rounds. He wanted to train six, and I had to stop him.
John Wood
In addition to the five rounds in the gym, Dvalishvili also does a good warm-up in the arena before the fight. The 34-year-old Georgian usually does three to five more rounds with his teammate and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling just before going out. Dvalishvili is known for his relentless endurance. He secured 20 total takedowns in the fight against Sandhagen, which raised his career total to 117, the most in UFC history. He has already requested that the UFC book his next title defense in December.I’ve had many guys who want to get into a flow assault over the years, but this is different. The way Merab does it, he’s a savage. He’s a total savage. I used to get nervous doing this on fight day, until I knew it was part of his process.
John Wood
