Henry Cejudo thinks Merab Dvalishvili could possibly be the bantamweight GOAT—if he will get previous his subsequent title challenger.
Dvalishvili recorded his second protection of his championship belt and his thirteenth straight win total with an emphatic submission win over rival Sean O’Malley in the principle occasion of UFC 316 this previous Saturday. Heading into the bout, Dvalishvili had already put collectively an all-time nice résumé and an argument could possibly be made he has now definitively established himself as the perfect to ever compete within the 135-pound division, passing names like Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw.
On his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo argued that on the very least, Dvalishvili is likely to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter proper now.
“If he’s extra lively than all these different fighters, it’s not truthful so that you can not say he’s pound-for-pound [No. 1],” Cejudo mentioned. “I’m going to offer you an instance. Kamaru Usman. Kamaru Usman, at one level, preventing everyone, lapping everyone, and doing it on a number of events and he was pound-for-pound [No. 1]. What’s the distinction between Merab Dvalishvili if he’s in a position to lap individuals and beat individuals a few instances in there?”
Nonetheless, Cejudo additionally warned that as nice as Dvalishvlii has been, he may lose his title in his subsequent protection.
Following his win, Dvalishvili declared his subsequent opponent needs to be Cory Sandhagen, who was in attendance at UFC 316. Although Sandhagen has suffered a handful of losses to different contenders, he’s a recent opponent for Dvalishvili and holds a number of notable wins. Sandhagen’s most up-to-date outing in Might noticed him defeat two-time UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
That’s the take a look at Cejudo must see him cross.
“If he beats Cory Sandhagen on this combat, sure,” Cejudo mentioned. “I’m going to place him at pound-for-pound the perfect fighter on the earth. 100%.”
“However that being mentioned, test this out, as a lot as I complimented Merab, I don’t suppose he beats Cory Sandhagen. … The one cause why I really feel the individual I may give that’s probably the most problematic for a man like Merab Dvalishvili, it’s Cory Sandhagen as a result of Cory Sandhagen brings much more thump than a man like Sean O’Malley and he’s a submission menace much more than O’Malley, and he’s huge,” Cejudo later added. “The opposite factor, too, Cory Sandhagen can stand up to his toes. He’s proven that towards a man like Umar Nurmagomedov. He throws knees up the center, the one which he caught Frankie Edgar with, the dude is freaking harmful throughout.
“And I do consider or I’ve a sense that the individual to doubtlessly get the job performed with a man like Merab—and once more, I’ve obtained to go with Merab, you must, he’s the bantamweight GOAT—but when there’s a man in that division proper now with all of the instruments and the truth that he can stand up and he’s younger and he’s youthful than him, it’s Cory Sandhagen.”
Ought to Dvalishvili make it three title defenses and 14 straight wins with a formidable efficiency towards Sandhagen, his legend will proceed to develop. In Cejudo’s eyes, Dvalishvili’s accomplishments already examine favorably with pound-for-pound greats Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev.
“Jon Jones hasn’t gone by means of everyone within the heavyweight division,” Cejudo mentioned. “Islam Makhachev hasn’t gone by means of everyone within the light-weight division. This dude is about to undergo everyone and there’s no denying. … If Merab is ready to get that factor performed, he not solely deserves pound-for-pound, however he’s the Fighter of the 12 months for 2025.”
