It’s been an extended highway for Merab Dvalishvili to develop into UFC bantamweight champion. The Georgian fighter has been toiling since 2014 as a professional in combined martial arts, and even when he joined the UFC in 2017 he needed to hold his job in development to pay the payments.
In a brand new interview with Jake Shields, Dvalishvili revealed that it wasn’t till 2020 that he was capable of deal with his UFC profession full time, and that was solely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shut every thing down.
“So I misplaced my first battle in UFC, and we all know how UFC pay It’s not nicely to start with,” Merab mentioned. “$10,000 and you continue to should pay your supervisor and a few bills. I purchase automobile. I used to be driving very outdated automobile, after which no cash. In my second battle, I acquired bonus, however I take off, I cease working. However when my subsequent battle comes, I used to be broke once more as a result of I spent all this cash. And I’m like like, now what?”
“Once I win the subsequent one, I hold this cash and I keep working,” he mentioned. “As a result of I don’t need [to be broke] once more.”
Dvalishvili mentioned there have been numerous bills ensuring his immigration papers saved shifting, which saved him returning to work. Earlier this 12 months he lastly grew to become a U.S. citizen and moved from New York to Las Vegas the place he trains with John Wooden at Syndicate MMA. He nonetheless has numerous loyalty to his New York Metropolis coaches Ray Longo and Matt Serra … however he prefers the visitors scenario in Vegas.
“Now that I’ve a very good coaching in Vegas, I’ve so many coaching companions,” he mentioned. “I can go jujitsu. I can sparring, the MMA follow. So I slightly do this.”
Regardless of shedding a largely one-sided contest to Dvalishvili at UC 306, Sean O’Malley remains to be making numerous noise about beating Merab. None of that bothers “The Machine,” although.
“I’m not mad or one thing. I can have enjoyable now. Make enjoyable with him,” he mentioned. “I might like to rematch with him. I feel it’s gonna be so subsequent time, I’ll end him. However how I beat him, I don’t even assume he’ll take a subsequent problem.”
For now he’s making ready for the subsequent primary contender, which is trying like Umar Nurmagomedov.
“I feel the probably the most deserving man is Figueiredo,” he reiterated. “However I assume UFC needs to me battle Umar. All of the individuals, I see their feedback, everyone needs me to battle Omar. So I’ll battle Omar.”
