Merab Dvalishvili has been so dominant throughout his run by way of the bantamweight division he’s already staring down a number of potential rematches together with his subsequent battle towards former champion Petr Yan once they meet once more at UFC 323 in December.
Their first encounter in 2023 was arguably the second when Dvalishvili graduated from good to nice as he pitched a five-round shutout to beat Yan and ascend to the highest of the division. Dvalishvili had Yan on his heels all evening lengthy, making an attempt a outstanding 49 takedowns and by no means letting up on the stress till the battle was over.
Now greater than two years later, the rematch is about with Yan not too long ago claiming he expects a significantly better outcome as a result of he was “solely at 50 p.c” within the first battle. These excuses don’t sit nicely with Dvalishvili’s head coach John Wooden, who scoffed at so many opponents explaining why they misplaced slightly than taking accountability for dropping.
“Petr Yan’s again into the combination and rapidly it’s ‘I used to be 50 p.c for the final battle.’ Why are we listening to about that now two and a half years later or no matter?” Wooden instructed MMA Combating. “Fifty p.c? Effectively, OK, Merab’s loads higher than he was then so I believe it’s nonetheless going to steadiness out the identical method for you.
“I do get bored with the entire fighters [saying] ‘I used to be injured.’ Don’t take the battle then. Don’t take the battle. In the event you’ve acquired unhealthy ribs that it’s so unhealthy that once you lose, you’re going accountable it on that then why are we combating? Don’t battle. Simply shut your mouth and do what you’re presupposed to do. Everyone will get in there injured.”
Wooden revealed Dvalishvili was severely compromised going into the primary battle towards Yan however he powered by way of and nonetheless acquired the job performed.
Fact be instructed, the Syndicate MMA head coach is aware of virtually each UFC athlete is coping with bumps, bruises and accidents heading right into a battle nevertheless it’s the flexibility to beat these illnesses that separate the contenders from the champions.
“I’ll let you know this when Merab fought Petr Yan, we had some nasty accidents,” Wooden mentioned. “His hand was the dimensions of a soccer when he went in there. He might barely get his hand within the glove. He had a whole damaged hand in that battle. Going into it. By no means hear a phrase about it. You’ll by no means hear a phrase about these issues and he nonetheless did what he did.
“Everyone’s going to say what they should say to really feel higher and that’s OK, that’s a part of the sport. The entire harm factor — saying you may beat one other man, no drawback, I’m good with that. However I misplaced due to harm, it’s a little bit form of cringey.”
There was an identical scenario when Dvalishvili fought Umar Nurmagomedov this previous January. In keeping with Wooden, Dvalishvili was coping with all types of points heading into the battle.
Whereas Nurmagomedov suffered a damaged thumb throughout the title bout that left him compromised, Wooden says Dvalishvili was in such unhealthy form he virtually wished the battle didn’t occur.
“God as my witness, I used to be actually hoping that perhaps the fee wouldn’t clear him simply due to how unhealthy he was,” Wooden mentioned. “It was by no means a factor of like understanding he couldn’t do it. As a result of his sparring, even how tousled he was for that, his sparring was so good. This dude would are available, might barely stroll, sick and get in there and simply beat the shit out of all people for 10 rounds. I imply like nothing was fallacious. Nice sparring after which depart and be busted up once more. So I knew he was able to doing it, there was by no means a query and I knew there was no method he was going to drag out of that battle.
“Nevertheless it was a scary thought. As a result of it’s like Umar is a tricky dude, he’s a really gifted, robust dude from an excellent camp. These fears of like, ‘Oh my god if I don’t pull him out, one thing unhealthy occurs, it’s on me.’ However once more, I do know what sort of canine I’ve acquired in that battle and Merab must lose a limb for me to most likely pull him out of a battle.”
Now Wooden sympathizes with fighters developing brief and believing issues might go in another way in a rematch.
That’s successfully what Cory Sandhagen mentioned after falling in lopsided trend to Dvalishvili at UFC 320. Simply days later, Sandhagen gave Dvalishvili reward for his efficiency, however added he nonetheless appears to be like on the UFC bantamweight champion as an “completely winnable battle” in the event that they met once more.
“To battle the champion, you’re the following greatest man,” Wooden mentioned. “He’s acquired to speak himself into the battle. He’s acquired to be assured. He’s acquired to say these issues. He’s acquired to try this. That’s high quality. That’s a part of the battle recreation. The fact is we all know that’s not the reality. You may’t do what Merab does. Nobody can emulate it. You may’t emulate it in a room. You may have 10 new contemporary guys on you each time and for those who don’t get drained, nice. Good for you. That’s not Merab.
“Merab goes to carry a unique drawback to you that you’ve got by no means solved. A unique form of energy. A unique form of explosion. A unique form of timing. Simply once you assume you’ve acquired Merab found out, he’s going to vary it up on you. I don’t fault Cory or anyone, these guys all discuss. A few of these guys discuss themselves up so large and then you definitely simply get smashed and then you definitely’ve acquired to go take care of that after. I believe at this cut-off date, all people’s going to say the identical factor: I believe I can determine this out.”
Whether or not opponents discuss trash or say nothing earlier than a showdown towards Dvalishvili, Wooden expects the identical consequence it doesn’t matter what.
“I’m fairly pleased when guys begin speaking shit to Merab or saying issues, no matter. The person doesn’t want motivation,” Wooden mentioned. “You simply noticed, there was no beef between him and Cory however for those who begin diminishing what he’s performed or already performed to you or begin diminishing his ability set, he’s going to show to you in an enormous method that’s most likely not the neatest factor. I do assume the Petr Yan battle, I don’t see a world the place Merab doesn’t win it. Something can occur. I don’t attempt to shit discuss or attempt to diminish the ability units. Yan is a good fighter. I’m an enormous fan of Petr Yan. If not for Merab, he’s in title rivalry, identical factor with Sandhagen.
“I’m a fan of those guys. I like watching them. I like their coaches. They’re very nicely coached guys however Merab has solely gotten higher. Not saying Yan hasn’t gotten higher. I’m not in that camp, I don’t know however Merab has gotten higher and by that point, he’ll get higher. I believe for those who return and watch what occurred in that battle, this Merab finishes that Petr Yan no drawback and in a number of alternative ways.”
