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The two Georgian champions are good friends and have supported each other throughout their careers. Dvalishvili was in attendance for Topuria’s lightweight title victory at UFC 317 last weekend in Las Vegas. The bantamweight was ecstatic with joy as his fellow countryman became the second ever Georgian UFC champ by knocking Charles Oliveira out cold.
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While Topuria’s knockout power is well known, Dvalishvili was also impressed by his grappling when they used to spar together. However, Dvalishvili didn’t spar with Topuria ahead of UFC 317. “The Machine” revealed that he doesn’t spar with Topuria anymore, as his friend hits too hard. After getting dropped twice with body shots by Topuria, Dvalishvili is glad to have his head still in place. Dvalishvili recalls breathing a sigh of relief every time he finished sparring with “El Matador.”
Dvalishvili on Topuria: ‘He Hits Hard’
“I sparring with him. He has a great wrestling, great jiu-jitsu, we all know that… I can’t spar with him anymore because he hits hard,” Dvalishvili said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.”
“He dropped me two times from the body shot. But thank God my head is fine. And every time I finish sparring with him I was happy and [said], ‘Thank God.’”
Topuria has finished 15 of his 17 career wins so far. The undefeated Georgian-Spaniard knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title and defended it by knocking out Max Holloway before moving up to lightweight. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is riding a 13-fight winning streak. Dvalishvili won the bantamweight title against Sean O’Malley and has since defended it against the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov and in a rematch against “Suga.”
Merab says Ilia Topuria dropped him twice during sparring:
“I can’t spar with him anymore, he hits too hard… he dropped me two times with a body shot…
Every time I finished sparring with him I said ‘Thank God.’” 😭😭
🎥 @arielhelwani #UFCpic.twitter.com/gwThFmsxfK
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 30, 2025
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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