Merab Dvalishvili has shared his perspective on a highly anticipated potential matchup between UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and top contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Topuria is slated to face Justin Gaethje on June 14. Following this bout, Topuria has expressed interest in moving up to challenge welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. However, should this superfight be postponed, the fight between Topuria and Tsarukyan could become a reality.
Tsarukyan, the number one contender in the lightweight division, has also offered to be the backup fighter for the Topuria vs. Gaethje bout, anticipating a subsequent title fight announcement for himself.
Many fans speculate that Tsarukyan’s relentless wrestling style, often described as “backpack-style,” might be the only effective approach to defeat Topuria, who is known for his elite striking and knockout power. However, former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili disagrees.
Merab Dvalishvili Believes Arman Tsarukyan’s Strengths Won’t Be Effective Against Ilia Topuria
Having trained with Ilia Topuria in Spain, Merab Dvalishvili is confident that Tsarukyan would face significant challenges against the champion.
Dvalishvili suggests that Tsarukyan would struggle to take Topuria down if they were to compete. He believes this would force Tsarukyan into a striking battle with “El Matador,” a scenario Dvalishvili predicts would end in Topuria’s favor. Speaking to Demetrious Johnson, “The Machine” stated:
“I respect Arman Tsarukyan, too. He is a great athlete and a great fighter. But since Ilia is the champion in this weight class, even if Arman fights Ilia, Ilia stylistically beats Arman. You can’t take Ilia down; it doesn’t even make sense to wrestle with him. Then Arman has to box with Ilia too, and then Ilia will knock out Arman Tsarukyan.”
In contrast, Demetrious Johnson, who has recently trained with Tsarukyan, believes the Armenian possesses all the necessary skills to potentially dethrone a potent striker like Topuria.
