Dvalishvili: Extreme Pre-Fight Sparring Reveals UFC Strategy

Merab Dvalishvili: The Champion Who Spars Before the Battle

The UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, surprised everyone by completing five full rounds of sparring in the gym last weekend in Las Vegas, approximately nine hours before his title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320, held at the T-Mobile Arena. Dvalishvili (21-4) secured a dominant decision victory on Saturday, in what was apparently his second five-round fight that day. During an appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast, UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr., Dvalishvili’s teammate at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, revealed this unusual preparation method. Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood confirmed this information.

This isn’t new. It’s funny that Khalil is the one who revealed it. Merab has been doing this since I started training him [in 2020]. Every fight day, he comes in and spars for five rounds. He wanted to do six, and I had to stop him.

John Wood, head coach of Syndicate MMA

According to Wood, these five rounds of sparring are performed at a pace of “approximately 70 percent.” Despite being an uncommon practice in the sport, Wood describes them as “tough and technical.”

I’ve had many guys who want to have a flow round over the years, but this is different. The way Merab does it, he’s a savage. He’s a real savage. I used to get nervous doing this on fight day, until I realized it’s part of his process.

John Wood, head coach of Syndicate MMA

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 fighter usually does between three and five more rounds with his teammate and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, right before going out.

The craziest thing is the five rounds right before the fight. Aljamain brings a full helmet, and it’s a total effort in the locker room. Obviously, Aljo isn’t there to hurt him, and it’s gotten to a point several times where I feel bad for Aljo, because Merab is hitting him there. It’s quite interesting.

John Wood, head coach of Syndicate MMA

Dvalishvili is known for his relentless endurance. In his fight on Saturday against Sandhagen, he achieved 20 takedowns, raising his career total to 117, the most in UFC history. The champion has already requested the UFC to schedule his next title defense for December.