Henry Cejudo thinks Merab Dvalishvili could possibly be the bantamweight GOAT—if he will get previous his subsequent title challenger.
Dvalishvili recorded his second protection of his championship belt and his thirteenth straight win general with an emphatic submission win over rival Sean O’Malley in the principle occasion of UFC 316 this previous Saturday. Heading into the bout, Dvalishvili had already put collectively an all-time nice résumé and an argument could possibly be made he has now definitively established himself as the perfect to ever compete within the 135-pound division, passing names like Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw.
On his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo argued that on the very least, Dvalishvili is perhaps the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter proper now.
“If he’s extra lively than all these different fighters, it’s not honest so that you can not say he’s pound-for-pound [No. 1],” Cejudo stated. “I’m going to provide you an instance. Kamaru Usman. Kamaru Usman, at one level, combating all people, lapping all people, and doing it on a number of events and he was pound-for-pound [No. 1]. What’s the distinction between Merab Dvalishvili if he’s capable of lap individuals and beat individuals a few instances in there?”
Nevertheless, Cejudo additionally warned that as nice as Dvalishvlii has been, he might lose his title in his subsequent protection.
Following his win, Dvalishvili declared his subsequent opponent ought to be Cory Sandhagen, who was in attendance at UFC 316. Although Sandhagen has suffered a handful of losses to different contenders, he’s a contemporary opponent for Dvalishvili and holds a number of notable wins. Sandhagen’s most up-to-date outing in Could noticed him defeat two-time UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
That’s the take a look at Cejudo must see him cross.
“If he beats Cory Sandhagen on this battle, sure,” Cejudo stated. “I’m going to place him at pound-for-pound the perfect fighter on the planet. 100%.”
“However that being stated, test this out, as a lot as I complimented Merab, I don’t assume he beats Cory Sandhagen. … The one motive why I really feel the individual I might give that’s essentially the most problematic for a man like Merab Dvalishvili, it’s Cory Sandhagen as a result of Cory Sandhagen brings much more thump than a man like Sean O’Malley and he’s a submission risk much more than O’Malley, and he’s huge,” Cejudo later added. “The opposite factor, too, Cory Sandhagen can rise up to his toes. He’s proven that towards a man like Umar Nurmagomedov. He throws knees up the center, the one which he caught Frankie Edgar with, the dude is freaking harmful throughout.
“And I do consider or I’ve a sense that the individual to doubtlessly get the job achieved with a man like Merab—and once more, I’ve bought to go with Merab, it’s important to, he’s the bantamweight GOAT—but when there’s a man in that division proper now with all of the instruments and the truth that he can rise up and he’s younger and he’s youthful than him, it’s Cory Sandhagen.”
Ought to Dvalishvili make it three title defenses and 14 straight wins with a formidable efficiency towards Sandhagen, his legend will proceed to develop. In Cejudo’s eyes, Dvalishvili’s accomplishments already evaluate favorably with pound-for-pound greats Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev.
“Jon Jones hasn’t gone by all people within the heavyweight division,” Cejudo stated. “Islam Makhachev hasn’t gone by all people within the light-weight division. This dude is about to undergo all people and there’s no denying. … If Merab is ready to get that factor achieved, he not solely deserves pound-for-pound, however he’s the Fighter of the Yr for 2025.”
