Merab Dvalishvili: A Champion with Unusual Preparation
The UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, surprised many by completing five full rounds of sparring in the gym, just hours before his title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. Dvalishvili, known for his impressive endurance, once again demonstrated his dedication to the sport with this unusual preparation. The news was revealed by his teammate, Khalil Rountree Jr., during an appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast. John Wood, head coach of Syndicate MMA, confirmed this information.According to Wood, these five rounds of sparring are done at a 70% pace, but they are still an uncommon practice in the sport. The coach describes Dvalishvili as a “savage” and admits that, at first, this routine made him nervous. In addition to the five rounds in the gym, Dvalishvili does an extra warm-up in the arena, which includes between three and five rounds with his teammate and former bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling.“This isn’t new. It’s funny that Khalil is the one revealing it,” Wood commented. “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
Dvalishvili, known for his relentless cardio, achieved 20 takedowns in his fight against Sandhagen, raising his career total to 117, the most in UFC history. The fighter has already requested that the UFC schedule his next title defense in December.“The craziest thing is the five rounds right before the fight,” Wood added. “Aljamain brings a full helmet, and it’s a complete workout 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 just beating him up in there. It’s pretty interesting.”
John Wood, Head Coach of Syndicate MMA
