Merab Dvalishvili has offered his straightforward opinion on a hypothetical superfight between UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and top contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Topuria is scheduled to face interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje on June 14. Following this bout, Topuria has expressed his intention to move up to challenge welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. However, if this superfight is postponed, a clash between Topuria and Tsarukyan could become a reality.
Tsarukyan, the number one contender in the lightweight division, is prepared to serve as a backup fighter for the Topuria vs. Gaethje encounter. He anticipates that following this, the UFC will officially sanction his title fight.
Many fans believe that Topuria’s exceptional striking and knockout power make him a formidable opponent, with some suggesting that Tsarukyan’s relentless wrestling style might be the only effective counter. However, former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili disagrees.
Merab Dvalishvili Believes Arman Tsarukyan’s Strengths Won’t Be Enough Against Ilia Topuria
Having trained with Ilia Topuria in Spain, Merab Dvalishvili is confident that Arman Tsarukyan would face a significant challenge.
Dvalishvili theorizes that Tsarukyan would struggle to implement his takedowns against Topuria and would be forced into a striking exchange. Based on what he’s seen, Dvalishvili believes the outcome of such a striking battle would be unfavorable for Tsarukyan. 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.”
Meanwhile, Demetrious Johnson, who has recently trained with Tsarukyan, holds a different view, suggesting that Tsarukyan possesses all the necessary skills to defeat a powerful striker like Topuria.
