Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has confirmed he has no desire to pursue a second title by moving up to the featherweight division.
Dvalishvili, who currently holds the bantamweight title, is on an impressive 12-fight winning streak and is preparing for a rematch against Sean O`Malley at UFC 316. Despite his dominance, he often speaks about the difficulty of weight cutting, sometimes claiming it`s harder than the actual fight.
While it`s common for champions to seek challenges in higher weight classes after establishing dominance, Dvalishvili views facing the formidable featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as a challenge he is unwilling to undertake at this time.
Merab Dvalishvili Expresses Hesitation to Fight Alexander Volkanovski
With his second bantamweight title defense against Sean O`Malley approaching, Merab Dvalishvili is widely favored to win, following his dominant performance in their initial meeting.
During a recent interview on Fox Sports in Australia, where he was interviewed by Volkanovski himself, Dvalishvili directly addressed the topic. He told the Australian champion: “I’ve mentioned a couple of times I don’t want to fight you because you are way stronger than me.”
Dvalishvili further elaborated on his stance: “I don’t want to take a big risk, I’m good. Even though this weight cut sucks I’d rather kill myself to make this weight and be comfortable here. I’m good, I don’t want to [fight Volkanovski]. Then we can cook peacefully and wish each other the best.”
Volkanovski reportedly laughed at Dvalishvili`s lighthearted suggestion about cooking, expressing mutual respect and wishing him good luck in his upcoming fight.
Alexander Volkanovski`s Featherweight Future Uncertain
Alexander Volkanovski`s next step in the featherweight division remains somewhat unclear following his recent successful title defense against Diego Lopes at UFC 314. It is widely speculated that his next opponent will be Yair Rodriguez, an opponent he has already defeated convincingly in 2023.
Volkanovski himself has indicated interest in facing the undefeated Movsar Evloev, but it seems the UFC may require Evloev to secure another victory to solidify his position as the mandatory challenger.
Speaking on Fox Sports, Volkanovski confirmed the situation: “It’s pretty clear that it wasn’t going to be Movsar… Yair’s name has popped up, but no dates are set right now… The rumors you’re all hearing are pretty much true, but nothing is locked in.” He noted the current landscape across divisions is complex, with many moving parts.
Benedict Kingsley