Merab Dvalishvili has nearly cleared out the bantamweight division, however he’s extra focused on going for a victory lap than changing into a “champ-champ.”
The Georgian star recorded his third straight profitable protection of his 135-pound title on Saturday, successful a unanimous determination over Cory Sandhagen within the UFC 320 co-main occasion. It was Dvalishvili’s 14th consecutive win general, a stretch that features victories towards a lot of the present contender line.
So why isn’t Dvalishvili contemplating a featherweight transfer and potential superfight with Alexander Volkanovski?
“That is my division,” Dvalishvili stated on the night’s post-fight press convention. “I’m comfy right here. I don’t wish to attempt to go up and make a large number as a result of I don’t wish to be with out an invitation. Like if any person reveals up at [Aljamain Sterling’s] wedding ceremony tomorrow, I’d crush his face in, we’d be mad. … I’m comfy right here. I wish to be my division’s champion.
“I’ve respect for all these guys, particularly my brother Aljamain Sterling, Volkanovski, I don’t wish to combat these guys. I’m good right here. I don’t know, we’ll see. To this point, I’ve subsequent plan to combat Petr Yan.”
Dvalishvili waited his flip to step into the bantamweight championship image when Sterling held that title from 2021-2023 and he prefers to keep away from that potential battle of curiosity once more. Apart from, so far as he’s involved, he nonetheless has a protracted approach to go to ascertain his legacy at 135 kilos.
Even listening to that UFC CEO Dana White referred to him as the best bantamweight of all-time hasn’t modified Dvalishvili’s plans or perspective.
“In fact, it’s good to listen to from the boss,” Dvalishvili stated. “I respect him, even when possibly I don’t agree with that. I imply, I’m undecided about that. However Dana White says these sorts of phrases to me, it means quite a bit and I’m grateful for UFC and for Dana White, after all, the job they’re doing and all of the alternatives I’m given by UFC, I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful.”
Requested what he thinks he has to do to say undisputed GOAT standing in his division, Dvalishili isn’t positive, however he likes the concept of at the very least being in that dialog when his profession is over.
“I’ve two older brothers,” Dvalishvili stated. “My second brother, he was a pilot 17 years in Georgian military, one of many helicopters. They’ve an expression like this: ‘You don’t say I’m a pilot till you retire and also you’re sitting together with your grandkids and also you discuss it after. Earlier than, you retain touchdown.’
“So I’m a fighter. I’m by no means going to say I’m the GOAT. I’ll hold getting higher, I’ll hold touchdown, I’ll hold grinding, as a result of that is MMA. It’s important to be humble, in any other case you’ll get humbled in case you get cocky. So I’m simply attempting to get higher and possibly I’ll say that when, God prepared, when I’ll sit with my grandkids, then possibly I’ll inform them, ‘You understand what? In the future I used to be GOAT.’ However now, I don’t take into account myself the GOAT as a result of I hold getting higher. I’m nonetheless a pupil on this recreation.”
