Merab Dvalishvili Names UFC Champ He'd Never Fight

Merab Dvalishvili won't consider leaving bantamweight just yet.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Merab Dvalishvili is an anytime, anywhere kind of fighter... at bantamweight, that is.

The 135lb division is where you can find "The Machine" working his way to a title fight this Mexican Independence Day weekend. Dvalishvili and O'Malley headline UFC 306 from the Sphere in Las Vegas, marking Dvalishvili's first PPV main event.

O'Malley is a fighter he's been calling out since his first UFC win in 2018, and now the matchup is fueled by more animosity as O'Malley knocked out Dvalishvili's teammate Aljamain Sterling in 2023.

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"I Will Never Fight Ilia..."

There are not many fighters Dvalishvili wouldn't fight in the bantamweight division where he resides, but what about elsewhere? A longtime player at 135 lbs, Dvalishvili was asked if he'd consider going for double-champ status with fellow Georgian Ilia Topuria at featherweight, the weight class above.

UFC 306 Results & Highlights – Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

"Never. I will never fight Ilia first," Dvalishvili told Pound 4 Pound (h/t: Championship Rounds). "He's my brother. I really love him. he's a little younger than me, but he's very smart and very good guy, family guy, and good friend of mine. I'll never fight him.

"I've been sparring with him, and he destroyed me. He's stronger than me. I'm not afraid to fight but Ilia is my friend, Georgian, and I will never fight him. I'm very comfortable in my weight class here, 135."

Merab Dvalishvili says he wouldn't move up to 145 lbs to fight Ilia Topuria, and says Ilia "destroys" him in sparring

He also says he could potentially move down to flyweight, but doubts he'll ever challenge for a feathweight belt

🎥 @pound4poundshow #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/ANNpuytg0p

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 13, 2024

Dvalishvili Says 'I'm Not Confident Yet'

Repping Spain and Georgia is Topuria, who comes off a title win over Alexander Volkanovski earlier this year at UFC 298. There are no guarantees of how long Topuria will hold on to the belt, with Max Holloway and Volkanovski waiting in the wings for their chance to be a two-time champ.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Topuria's teammate Dvalishvili isn't thinking about holding two belts just yet, meeting O'Malley in his first title fight at UFC 306 tomorrow night, but the #1 bantamweight contender says "maybe someday" we'll see him leave the bantamweight division.

UFC 306 Predictions: Sean O'Malley Obliterated by Merab Dvalishvili?

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