Daniel Cormier Show - Merab Dvalishvili on Sean O'Malley, Cory Sandhagen, Dana White, Umar BEEF

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Episode: Daniel Cormier Show – Merab Dvalishvili on Sean O’Malley, Cory Sandhagen, Dana White, Umar BEEF
Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Daniel Cormier | Guest: Merab Dvalishvili (UFC Bantamweight Champion)

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Daniel Cormier Show (aired as part of The Herd with Colin Cowherd) features an in-depth and candid conversation with UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. The discussion explores Merab’s extraordinary journey from a small village in Georgia to UFC stardom, his relentless fighting style, loyalty to friends and teammates, career-defining rivalries, and his unfiltered take on money, motivation, leadership, and life outside the octagon. Previewing his upcoming title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320, Merab offers insight into his mindset, unique character, and what drives him to continue making history in the sport.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Merab’s Background and Journey to the U.S.

• Early Life in Georgia: Grew up in a close-knit, farming village before moving to the capital (Tbilisi) at nine.
  • “I was so happy, like, very wild kid... All people is there that we all have animals. We all have like lands. And yeah, it was beautiful life. And when I was nine, I moved to capital city.” (05:20)
• Immigrating with Nothing: Moved to the U.S. in 2012 chasing his UFC dream, speaking no English and lacking resources.
  • “I have a dream and goal to fight big organization like UFC's, but I don't know how to get there... And of course I don't speak English and I can search. And that was 2012. It wasn't like this today.” (08:49)
• Early Hardships: Was taken advantage of by a boxing coach upon arrival in New York—trained in cardio boxing rather than MMA, even fought amateur boxing until being disqualified for prior experience.
  • “...this guy make me fight in boxing four times... until they, I win three matches. I beat a lot of good guys. And then semifinal, I can't wait. I go there. And then the commission kicked me out... you're not amateur.” (11:18)
• Finding Serra-Longo Gym: Eventually found his MMA family and hope with Ray Longo and Matt Serra’s team.
  • “Once I find the Serra Longo team... I find my hope again. And I was happy again. Even I find them, I was happy. I don't speak English. Even technique I cannot understand... It was a hard top, challenging times.” (12:01)

2. ‘The Machine’ – Origins & Style

• Nicknamed for Relentlessness: Teammate Matt Frevola dubbed him “The Machine” due to his tireless pace in training.
  • “He called me, ‘You train like Machine?’ And... your nickname should be Machine.” (13:10)
• Transition from Early Struggles to Elite Success: Cormier probes the moment Merab realized he could be the best. Merab explains his step-by-step, win-focused mentality revolutionized his approach.
  • “After second fight... I was still happy... But what I realized is after (the) fight between me and Ricky Simon... I’m like now I’m going to focus for just win. Every fight step by step, just win, win, win, win.” (17:11)

3. Motivation Amidst Success

• Money Isn’t the Main Drive: After attaining financial stability and respect, Merab finds deeper motivation in representing his country and inspiring others.
  • “Now, I’m not fighting for money now. I’m enjoying, you know... What I realize also with my fighting in UFC, I can represent my country, my people and this is the best what I can do.” (20:46)
• Representing Georgia: His role as a national symbol and role model is his greatest motivator.

4. Loyalty to Teammates over Title Shots

• Refused to Challenge Friend Aljamain Sterling: Merab prioritized friendship and loyalty rather than pursuing the belt while Sterling was champion.
  • “I was so happy for Aljo... For me, I was just happy to be in UFC. I was just happy what I achieve already.” (22:55)
• On Training Partners’ Influence: Both Cormier and Merab agree they would not have reached the pinnacle without high-level teammates.
  • “Of course, of course. You know, first, you know, when you have a UFC fighter in your gym, real UFC fighter, you can look up to him...” (25:30)

5. Personal Rivalries and ‘BEEF’

• On Hating Petr Yan:
  • “The first it was Peter Yan.” (31:51)
  • Merab describes a personal and political edge—Yan being Russian, with historical tension due to Russia’s occupation in Georgia.
    • “Russia has occupied my country's 20% of territory. And then, so it's more, it's personal for me when every time we fight against Russians...” (32:00)
  • “Either win against him or if I lost, I gotta kill myself, you know.” (33:06)
• Perspective on Umar Nurmagomedov:
  • “Umar is spoiled because... even before he signed to UFC. And of course he's Khabib's cousin... it was easy to. UFC signed him straight.” (34:34)
  • Outlines specific disrespectful behaviors and perceived advantages due to family ties.
• Cory Sandhagen & Sean O’Malley: Discussed as tough, talented rivals, but lacking the personal animosity of the Yan feud.

6. Life Outside the Octagon: The Wild Side

• Anecdotes of Recklessness: Stories recounted with laughter—nearly drowning as a child, stepping on a nail, jumping into a frozen river, and balancing on high ledges.
  • “I did many, many, many crazy things...” (39:19)
  • “If I sleep, then listen, one day we all die.” (43:26)
• Open About Injuries & Critique from Dana White:
  • Known for posting injuries (broken toe, cut eye) on social media—said he does it if it won’t affect his performance. Dana White has called him reckless for this openness.
  • “If it's something serious injury, I will never... I broke my toe... but it's no problem... That's why I posted.” (44:08)
  • “It was when Dana was talking... he was mad about me... I am who I am... I'm still gonna do same.” (46:24)

7. Upcoming Title Defense vs. Cory Sandhagen

• Fight Preview: Merab respects Sandhagen’s footwork, cardio, and submission skills, promising a “war."
  • “Corey Sandhagen is really good fighter... his footwork very good... his cardio good... It's gonna be a good fight, good challenge.” (54:44)
• Scouting and Strategy: He’s studied recent fights, especially against Umar, and has ideas for victory.

8. Reflections on Success, Sacrifice, and Legacy

• Regrets and Sweetness of the Journey: Wouldn’t change his struggles.
  • “Absolutely, it was worth it. And I won't change nothing.” (61:31)
• First Major Purchase: Bought houses for himself—“the American dream”—and now aims to give back.
  • “I want to build a gym in my backyard here in Vegas... also..build gym in Georgia.. just to charity gym, you know, to help the young generations.” (64:32)
• Family Aspirations: Now seeks to find a wife, aiming for a stable, family-focused life.
  • “Now it's time to find a good quality wife and have a beautiful family.” (58:16)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Motivation:
  “Now, I’m not fighting for money now. I’m enjoying, you know... I can represent my country, my people and this is the best what I can do.” – Merab (20:46)

• Explaining His Ruthless Approach:
  “Either win against him or if I lost, I gotta kill myself...” – Merab, on fighting Petr Yan (33:06)

• On Posting His Injuries and Dana White’s Criticism:
  “If it’s something serious injury, I will never post it. But... I broke my toe... I decide to just make funny story... no excuse. That’s why I posted. Because I know it wasn’t going to affect my fight…” – Merab (44:13)

• On Future Plans & Fulfillment:
  “...now I'm working on to build gym in Georgia and just to charity gym, you know, to help the young generations... since I win the belt, I'm working on this project and now I'm finally getting closer to making real this.” – Merab (64:43)

• On Loyalty to Aljamain Sterling:
  “I know that for me, I was just happy to be in UFC. I was just happy what I achieve already.” – Merab (22:55)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Merab’s Childhood & Moving to Capital City – 05:20–06:22
• Decision to Move to the U.S. & Hardships – 08:37–12:01
• Origins of “The Machine” Nickname – 13:10
• Turning Career Around After Early UFC Losses – 16:01–17:10
• Motivation Amidst Wealth & Success – 20:46–22:21
• On Supporting Aljamain Sterling Instead of Competing – 22:55–25:53
• Rivalry with Petr Yan and Political Backdrop – 31:51–33:38
• Views on Umar and ‘Spoiled’ Perception – 34:26–36:40
• Reckless Moments and Life Outside the Cage – 38:07–43:26
• Posting Injuries & Dana White’s Critique – 44:08–46:24
• Sandhagen Fight Preview – 54:44–55:56
• Family, Faith, & Legacy – 58:16–61:07
• Reflections on the Journey, Buying a Home, Building Gyms – 61:14–64:43

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Tone and Language

The episode is marked by a warm, friendly, and humorous tone. Daniel Cormier plays the role of both a peer and big brother, drawing out Merab’s natural charisma and honesty. Merab, in turn, is energetic, joyful, often self-deprecating, and unapologetically authentic, balancing humor with heartfelt emotion about loyalty, struggle, and pride.

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Conclusion

This episode offers an intimate portrait of Merab Dvalishvili—not only as a champion athlete but as a person defined by resilience, positivity, and deep-rooted values. Listeners gain a unique understanding of the highs, lows, and personal tenets that fuel one of MMA’s most relentless fighters heading into another pivotal title defense.

Transcript

[Merab Dvalishvili]

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[Daniel Cormier]

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[Merab Dvalishvili]

Apply the volume.

[Daniel Cormier]

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[Merab Dvalishvili]

Thank you, sir.

[Daniel Cormier]

Thank you so much, Rob. Guys, today's episode of the Daniel Cormier show is brought to you by Total Wireless, the official wireless provider of UFC. They're in your corner with unlimited 5G data. That will not slow you down.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Let's go.

[Daniel Cormier]

Georgia. How did you. How was life in Georgia as a young kid?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I was so happy, like, very wild kid, you know? You know, because I heard that, yeah, I, I born in small village called Wani, and I was growing up there, like we have farmers like all people is there that we all have animals. We all have like lands.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And yeah, it was beautiful life. And when I was nine, I moved to capital city. Then same, you know, I was happy And a lot of brothers. I have two older brothers. Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Sisters?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No sisters. We don't have sisters, but we have a lot of cousins and friends. In Georgian, we are more tight and close. We always hang out together.

[Daniel Cormier]

One thing I have learned since I met you is that you always bring gifts. You brought something from Merab. What do you have here?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Of course, of course. It's Georgian. Acharuli.

[Daniel Cormier]

Acharuli Khachapuri.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

What is that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Merab And I show you, I show you how to eat now.

[Daniel Cormier]

Okay?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

You have a fight in a few weeks, Mar.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

It's okay. It's no problem. See, I have even big piece. For me it's even bigger. Show, show in the camera. Okay, show in the camera. See how it looks like.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

The hacha, it's a bread and inside is cheese and bread.

[Daniel Cormier]

Cheese and more bread.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Am I supposed to break this off?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Just so break off the edge.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. And then go deep inside and, and spin. Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

It looks like there's eggs in there.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Is there an egg in there?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Egg, yes. Do you like egg?

[Daniel Cormier]

I like egg.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Good. No.

[Daniel Cormier]

Let's just try this. Let's try this.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

How is it?

[Daniel Cormier]

It's very good.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

I really enjoy this.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Nice, man.

[Daniel Cormier]

There's an egg. Huh?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Egg.

[Daniel Cormier]

Can you cook this?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I can. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

I once had a meal at your house and it was very good.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

I don't know if it was this good though. You gotta eat. You gotta fight in a few weeks. So be careful with the hot Chapuri.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Now. They're gonna, they're gonna talk. They say. I know, bro. They will say it's too. This is dying or something, but nobody.

[Daniel Cormier]

Nobody can understand what you're saying. Your mouth's full of hot Chapuri. Is it good? I need to get Danny get him a water. Oh, so get him a water, Danny. It's right there.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

How about we finish this?

[Daniel Cormier]

No, no, no. We'll finish it at the end of the interview. There's no way.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

But it's warm now. I tell you.

[Daniel Cormier]

You don't mind? You eat like that during the training camp? Or is just because you came here you got to bring me gifts?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I don't eat usually like this, but I try to eat.

[Daniel Cormier]

There's a water champ.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Nice. Good. Thank you. No, I, I, I eat very Clean and discipline. Of course. Of course.

[Daniel Cormier]

When you were a kid growing up in Georgia, you moved to the capital city. Give me that. I'm done with that. Just give it to me. I'm done with it. Yeah, you moved to the capital city. It's a bigger city. Right. Not a smaller village. Yeah, but that's nothing like moving to the United States.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

What went into that decision for you to come here, especially with nothing. You didn't speak English, you didn't have any money. Like, what prompted you to move to the United States?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I have a dream and goal to fight big organization like ufcs. But when I decide to move United States, I do have this dream and goal to fight in big organization like UFC's, but I don't know how to get there, where to training and which state is better. And like. And of course I don't speak English and I can search. And that was 2012. And it was like, not. It's. It wasn't like this today.

[Daniel Cormier]

No, it isn't.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Because today you can follow your favorite fighters, Instagram, you know, where they training, what they do, stuff like this. But that time, like most people, we don't even have smartphones. And also, there was no information in Internet, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

So how'd you end up at Serra Longo?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

So what happened was, so I have a friend in New York, Long Island, Georgia, and me and my other fighter friend, we contact him and we tell him to we have resigned and we just wanted to move United States and training. And he said, oh, yes, he was also interesting, like, also to help us. But he said, I actually know the guy. He's a boxing coach. He has a boxing gym close to my house. And I talked to him and he said he will help. He will bring some graph players and he will help us to get in ufc.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And it was because this. This boxing coach was guy.

[Daniel Cormier]

Really?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. He has a small boxing gym.

[Daniel Cormier]

But that's what happens. People, especially foreigners, when they come to the United States, people take advantage of them.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. And then so what happened was I started training with this guy, boxing coach. And then every day I was going gym two times a day. And then I was hitting bags with ladies and kids. They was doing cardio training, you know, Come on.

[Daniel Cormier]

Cardio kickbox.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, cardio kickboxing. The bro. And then. And then I'm like, I was so depressing. I'm like, I was. This is training this United States. I was training better in Georgia. Why I'm. Why I'm here. What I'm Doing so. And then I was so depressed. But this guy make me fight in boxing four times. Yeah, I have a. I'm four and.

[Daniel Cormier]

Zero in boxing matches.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Boxing matches three times in Goldenglass. Until. Until they. I win three matches. I beat a lot of good guys. And then semifinal, I can't wait. I go there. And then the commission kicked me out. They said, oh, we check YouTube. You have fights in Georgia. You have broken here. You're not amateur. You should not be here. I'm like, I already have three fights, and now I cut weight again. Today I'm ready to fight. You know, usually in Goldenglass, he make weight in two hours. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

You fight in two hours?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. And then they kicked me out. And I have other fights also in boxing, two key boxing fights, until I realized this guy was bullshit. And I was so tired of cutting weight and doing bullshit because I'm not a boxer, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

No, you're not.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes, but. And then. And then I was so. Yeah. And then I was thinking to that first time when I was thinking to quit, you know. But yeah, I quit this gym. Like, I left, you know, I'm like, I was not interested to do it this one anymore because I was so tired of this cutting weight hitting bag and then not going nowhere, you know, And I was missing MMA and I was missing wrestling and stuff. And thank God, we. A couple months later, we finally find Ray Lungo's gym. And then. And then. And then Ray, of course, once. Once I find the Serra Longo team and I find my hope again. And I was happy again. And. And then even I find them. I was happy. I don't speak English. Even technique I cannot understand, you know, like. And it was a hard top, challenging times.

[Daniel Cormier]

I don't know if there's a guy that has a nickname that's more fitting than yours. The Machine. Rob the Machine. Where did that come from?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

This nickname actually gave me my teammate, Matt Prevola. Or. Yeah, yeah, Steamroller. He gave me in New York when we were training, and he called me. You trained like Machine? And. And then your nickname should be Machine, and everybody liked it in the gym and, you know, and Chris Wade, Al Jama, Isengalaya, Quinta, and all these guys, and they started calling me nickname Machine. And. And then, yeah, I keep it.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you finally get to the ufc. It didn't start well, right. In your UFC career. Can you point to a moment where you realize, okay, I'm ready. Right. Like, even when the beginning of the career isn't going as you planned.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Right.

[Daniel Cormier]

Was There a moment in the room or in a fight where you realize, I'm ready to be one of the best in the world.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

It wasn't like this because. So when I decide to move United States, I know I have a long road and I was ready for hard work. And when I moved it, it was even more hard. Everything, you know, every harder than you expect. Oh, yes, so much. Because like I tell you, I don't even know the, the. Which gym I should train. I know I was looking for gym into. You know, I tell you, the, the gym. It was challenging to find the gym. And, and then even I find the gym. Then I, I lost my professional official debut. And, and I, and, and then I remember in the fight I was fighting and then they, I got reversed and then the med Serra Rey Longo, they screaming at me like, al Bo escape. Like, you know, create a space, get up, right? But I look them and I cannot understand. I don't speak English. They yell at me. I'm like, I was so embarrassed, you know, like. And it was hard. And so I know I was tough. I know I was good fighter. But I was not dreaming. Like, I was not dreaming. I was just realistic, you know, and then it's hard. Even you, you believe yourself, you work hard, you winning streak. It's hard to dream about something like to become UFC champion, you know. But so, but what I, what I realized so first when I lost my professional debut, it was heartbroken. But. And then, and then I take some break. And then I said, you know what? I don't care even if I lost, even if I don't make money from these professional fights in the beginning, you don't make.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, yeah, you don't make any money.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. And then I said, I love it. Even I, even in by law, as long as I show up, good fight, I still represent my country, I still represent my family. And I love this. You know, I said I want to do now most because I don't want to make excuse. And even if I lost or win, I still want to proud and I want to give all. That's how mentality I came back after I lost, and then that's how I go ufc. But when I was, when I signed to ufc, of course I was so happy to. I can't have a fight in ufc. Yeah, first fight, I have some controversial losses. The first fight I was sick. Second fight, some bullshit decision. And, and, but, you know, but I was positive and I was still happy to. I was fighting in ufc. But what I realized is after second fight fight, the fight between me and Ricky Simon, it was fight of the night. I was winning, I was doing good. But I still lost this fight for some reason. Right. And what I realized is I'm like now I'm going to focus for just win.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Every fight step by step, just win, win, win, win. And because I love fighting, I enjoy sometimes I like crazy fight. But. And after that I became so smart and I was focusing each each fights and that's how I get to the fight and an event title. I win like this smart. And after Omar fight not count. It was some river. Yeah. I was dealing some other like injuries and stuff. But last Shalis fight I enjoy. Yeah. And now my next fight, I think against Coran, I'm going to enjoy too.

[Daniel Cormier]

It seems like you're having more fun than anyone I've ever seen. Going to knockdown. You're smiling. But when things went bad, you went on a run like not many people have matched. And you said that was just by locking in, by saying, I just want to win. But marab it went from just winning to now you're actually finishing fights.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

And it's the pace, the pressure, the cardio. Was that present from the very start of your career where you were able to push at the level that you're pushing these guys now?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I was always like. I always like to pressure and go hard and go, go, go. But in the beginning of my career, I did make some mistakes and I did too much push after. I was so smart. And now I'm. Now I'm showing my real fight skill.

[Daniel Cormier]

Is it because you're having so much fun though, because now or have you become so confident and comfortable in the octagon now that you're able to now enjoy yourself while still achieving your ultimate goal and that's winning.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I guess you can say like that.

[Daniel Cormier]

You're smiling the whole time.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. Yeah. Because I'm happy, man. I'm happy. To every opportunity I've given in my life, I'm blessed, you know, because like I. I tell you before, like it was what. Can you sit maybe here somewhere?

[Daniel Cormier]

What's he doing?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I just is. I don't want to get distracted.

[Daniel Cormier]

He. Look, he's. In your view, huh?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

He's good.

[Daniel Cormier]

But we fired this guy. You don't even need a cameraman. What did I tell you? You don't need a camera guy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, yeah, I was. It was so many tough moments in my life and I was like two times I was thinking to quit, like been Done this with sport and I, I was not do an MMA anymore, you know, and thank God I still stay. And yeah, of course now I'm grateful, man, I'm grateful for, and I'm so happy how far I came and then now nothing's gonna stop me. I want to go even like I said the other day, I want to fight until 50 years old.

[Daniel Cormier]

Rob, you said in the beginning in fighting there's no money, you don't make no money. But now you're making money. Now you're a rich guy, you're a very wealthy guy. I've been to your house. Well, you have two houses on the same street. You're a very wealthy guy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

How do you keep the motivation? You're on a long win streak like that, you're defending the title, you're making money. So many guys struggle with that. When the bank of, when the bank account is fat, that's a different motivation. Because before it's like, let's make a living, let's make some cash. You got that? I want to become world champ. You got that. What if your goal is to be popular, you got that. Meet women, you got that. Like you got all of the things in the life that you could have wanted. So how do you stay motivated to show up every time with that? Because guess what, if the belt is gone, you're still going to be popular, you're still going to be rich. Not much will change. But how do you keep that motivation?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I agree 100%. So yeah, like you said like one years ago I was not even champion. And also, yeah, I, I don't make like life changing money. But now, yes, like I, I came champion, I defend two times now I really have a good money now. I'm fighting for the big money again. I'm defending my. Yeah, and of course now, yeah, I'm not worried about money, but, but thing is, I'm not fighting for money now. I'm enjoying, you know, and of course with money I'm going to do good things and I'm, I'm working on it, some good things. But, but I want to do most like I was doing before earlier, you know, I want to enjoy and as long as I'm healthy and I'm happy and I enjoy fights, I'm winning, I want to do most and I want to give my all, I want to give all because I love this, I enjoy this. And what I realize also with my fighting in ufc, I can represent my country, my people and this is the best what I can do. For my people to make proud my country. And so that's what makes me motivate and happy because of course, I'm patriot, I love my people, Georgian people, and I want to represent them. And I want to also represent all the harder working people. And what I realize is with this, like, this is the best what I can do for my country.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, you become the world champ, but there was a long time where many felt you could have been the world champ, but Al Jermaine Sterling was the champion. And so you didn't challenge for the belt. At some point, did you ever consider weighing loyalty versus your aspirations and your goals of becoming world champion? Because for a while there, it looked like he was going to be the champ forever. Did you ever question like, man, am I doing the right thing or should I be fighting this guy to try to become world champion?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I was so happy for Al Jama standing and I know him a long time and I, I see how he was dedicated, how he was dreamed to come UFC champion, and then how, how was, how much it was meaning for him to win fighter title and then defending the legacy, you know. Yeah. You know, the legacy for Al Jama standing was meaning everything. And then I was so happy for him. And I know that for me, I was just happy to be in ufc. I was just happy what I achieve already.

[Daniel Cormier]

But when you win 10 in a row, Merab, and you haven't even fought for the belt yet, you got to be like, oh, man.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. But you know, I like here. Aljo taught me so many things. He was my main training for like you, you and Kenny Velasquez, you, you cut so much weight, you go up different weight class too. You was the first example to how to escape that problem and go different weight class. And actually I was do same maybe.

[Daniel Cormier]

Really?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

If I have to, you know. Yeah. To maybe go down weight class because, yeah, I was so happy for my friend. And I never want to cross, you know, and then, and then never. Because also. But me to fight somebody, it's not my enemy. But Aljo is different, you know, when he fights somebody, he's, he's locked in, you know, he can't look like a somebody as a friend.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, he wants to kill him.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

He wants to kill.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And then, you know, and after could be weird even if I lost. Yeah. And then we fight for the money. We fight, you know, it's somebody's legacy will run, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, it sucks.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

I, I couldn't, I was not gonna beat Kate. That's why I was going down, he was gonna beat me. I knew I couldn't beat this. I was like, I can't beat this dude. Every day in practice, he beats me. So I know I'm not gonna fight this guy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Crazy.

[Daniel Cormier]

How different does your career look if you don't have Al Jermaine Sterling? So many people miss that, right? Whereas they're like, well, you couldn't become the champion because Kane was the champion. But I don't know if I become the champion when he isn't the champion, if I don't have him in my career to build me into being a guy that can be a UFC champion. What does your career look like if there is no Al Jermaine Sterling and you don't get to train with him daily like that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Oh, man, I don't know. I could be somewhere pfn.

[Daniel Cormier]

He was that important to your career? He was that important.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Of course, of course. You know, first, you know, when you have a UFC fighter in your gym, real UFC fighter, you can look up to him and then you see, oh, this guy do it. I can do it too. You see he's working hard. You. It's just an example.

[Daniel Cormier]

It was Kane winning the belt that showed us all in AKA oh my goodness, we can actually be champion, right?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

You take from it. Yeah, exactly. You learn from it. And then that's why, you know, like I try to share my knowledge with other young fighters in the show and then I wanted to they learn and take a. Yeah, I'm just regular guy, I'm guy like you. And then you, you, you do same. You can work hard and you'll be even better champion. But it takes discipline, takes hard work and then you have to take your time and no rush. And Algeo was of course it's like very important for me because like I said up to him, the second the training, like high level fighter he is, I learned so much from him and I get better. And then I always try to give my best every time I have opportunity to sparring him, you know, I was always trying to give him good rounds, push rounds. And then we push each other and we came main train partners for each other. Even we don't have same exact style. But sometimes when he was fighting against TJ Dillashaw, I was mimicking him.

[Daniel Cormier]

You can mimic TJ Dillashaw morale.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I was doing my best. Of course not.

[Daniel Cormier]

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[Daniel Cormier]

Marab. You are a guy that is always smiling, even in the build to the fights. You seem to be having a good time, but you fought some guys that generally don't have great relationships. Who's the person in your career where you're like, I don't like him, I want to smash him. I know at times it got contentious between you and Umar. At times it got a little bit rough between you and Sean o'. Malley. Like when you think about that in your career, who's that person that stands out to you the most as. I don't really like that gentleman.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, the first it was Peter Yan.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, Peter Yan. You didn't like Peter Yan?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I don't like Peter Yan.

[Daniel Cormier]

Why?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Because. Why? Let me tell you a little quick story. So Peter Yan was in UFC winning some fights and then I think we was in Arizona or somewhere and then I saw him in a hotel and I don't think he even knows me, but I was with Aljo and he, I, I look him other side and he look at us like a bully, you know, really to kill us. I'm like, bro, who are you? What do you want? Yeah, and then, and then, and then after he was doing very well and then he's Russian, right? And then, you know, it's a politic. Russia, Russia has occupied my countries of 20% of territory. So Russia has occupied my country's 20% of territory. And then, so it's it's more, it's personal for me when every time we fight against Russians, you know, we always trying to win because. And so, and then when he was doing good in UFC and he was winning, oh, the guy was giving me chills, you know, I don't want to fight the guy because Peter looks killer, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

He was good.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, he was good. And then I'm like, if I, if I have to fight him, I have two choice. Either win against him or if I lost, I gotta kill myself, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Saying you wanted to beat him that bad.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, yeah, because. And then also. And then. And Peter after, remember, like story, you know, he was disrespecting my, my friend Al Jama Sterling and all my teams. Oh, I know. Now we have same energy.

[Daniel Cormier]

Now you got the same energy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I don't hate him much, but that time I, I have, I don't know, it's how everything, everything came up. Like. Yeah, I have this beef with, against Peter Yan that time and I wanted to, I wanted to beat the shadow of him. Now, Now I, I give him a lot of respect, you know, he's as a fighter, as a family man, you know, he has a beautiful family and he's a good fighter, of course. And like he said another interview. He earned it. He, he, he did himself, you know, he don't have a cousin like Habib, you know, so he said this other interview and then makes sense, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

So he kind of made his. His own way, you mean?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, yeah, he was.

[Daniel Cormier]

Why do people think that Umar is spoiled? Why do people believe that Umar, because of Khabib gets things?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, it's, it's, it's real.

[Daniel Cormier]

But he went. But Umar went. He's won a lot of fights, right. To get a chance at an opportunity or do you not believe he deserved.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Umar is spoiled because. Yeah, because he's a good fighter. But of course he got our intention, everybody's intention, even before he signed to ufc. And of course he's Kabi's cousin and we all get know him because of Khabib, right? He has a great, great champion, legend of the sport, Khabib. And then it's. Of course it was easy to. UFC signed him straight. So there is many good fighters they don't sign. They have to go through like either Dynavite contender, serious or looking for a fight or ultimate fighters or like you.

[Daniel Cormier]

Went to looking for a fight, right?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I do, yeah. I was defending my belt and then I came to watch my opponent's fight. Everybody Was thinking that he was supposed to be beat me because he was 8 and 0 and yeah, I beat him in 15 seconds. Yeah. So. And then that's how I got in ufc. So. And then he signed ufc and then he, he, of course he was fighting good, but, and then he was fighting not ranked guys. And, and after they give like very high, high ranked guy, Corey Sanhegan. And then, and then he, he was talking and disrespectful to me and some other fighters too. Like, he, like, for example, he was, I, I, I have a video actually. Watto was recording in ufcpi. He was talking you, he told me you are old. Dominic Cruz old. He said Cody Gabran old. Like, he was like telling us like tennis and who the old.

[Daniel Cormier]

To your face.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

To my face. Yeah. I can send you this video. You can, you can, you can post it with this video too, if you want.

[Daniel Cormier]

This is crazy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, he was, we have a conversation and he, before, before I was even fighting, I said, bro, and he was telling me to I want to fight with you. And I said, me, I want to fight belt. I don't want to go back, you know, to fight you. Like, you know, I don't want to down the. I don't want to fight.

[Daniel Cormier]

Fight behind me.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Backward. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Back in the ring.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes. So. And like, yeah, you know, that's, you know, he's spoiled for sure. He still is because he's, and after.

[Daniel Cormier]

The fight, well, he's fighting next against.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Bautista.

[Daniel Cormier]

Mario Bautista.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Do you think that if he wins, it'll be, he'll get another chance to fight you?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

So this is tough fight for him. Bautista is good fighter.

[Daniel Cormier]

Bautista is very good, very good there.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

He's like a seven fight win streak. And so I don't, I don't think so. He will deserve to fight me because he has to fight more because I, this is gonna be, yeah, I'm gonna fight, I'm gonna defend my belt again. And I mean, I don't know. He has to prove again. I don't know. We'll see. Whatever UFC give me, I will fight. No, I don't care. No problem.

[Daniel Cormier]

People know Murab the firefighter. Relentless pace, pressure. Most would say a bit crazy. But that's not just limited to the octagon Merab. You're crazy. Some of the stuff I see to me is insane. I saw you standing on the side of a building one time. It looked like if you slipped, you would have plunged to your death. I read up on you and I found out that when you were a kid. You about drowned in a river. You almost drowned in a River at 6 years old. And your brother had to save your life.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, that's a true story. What happened was my brother was swimming in a river and I jump river and jump in the river and I make fun of him and I can do same. And I was swimming small like a.

[Daniel Cormier]

River, but the water wasn't above your head.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And then the water take me to deep water. River was fast.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, so the current got you.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And then the river just told me and I was. I can't. And now I was under the water.

[Daniel Cormier]

Shut up morale.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And then my other brother saw me.

[Daniel Cormier]

You scream help. Help.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I can't scre know. And no, what happened was I grabbed the. One of the big rock, the rock under the water because water, it was.

[Daniel Cormier]

Going to just keep taking you out.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

And then I was under the water just hugging the.

[Daniel Cormier]

So how did he see you?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I guess they saw me and he was running to the. Like he left the river and they run to the side and then he jumped the same in and they pulled me up, but after, soon after, I learned how to swim.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you jumped in that river not knowing how to swim?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Why would you do that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I was crazy. Yeah, I was crazy. I did many, many, many crazy things. You know, like what else? Oh.

[Daniel Cormier]

You had horses. You guys had horses.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I have horses, actually. And then my other brother bring, you know, horses. You give the.

[Daniel Cormier]

You put the shoes on with the nail?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes, yes, yes. And then the nail. He. He bring a nail from the shopping. And then he said, oh, I got nice, good, good nails. This is really good quality nail. And he put it like this. And can you Merrill, can you step on it? And he was just joking. And then what I did, I jump and I Boom.

[Daniel Cormier]

No.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. And he's like, he cannot do this. And I am like ice cream.

[Daniel Cormier]

What did it cut you? Of course it went in your foot.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Because I jumped like Maram. That was crazy.

[Daniel Cormier]

What did your parents do? Your parents wants to beat your brother. Did they whip you?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I don't remember. I don't remember what happened after.

[Daniel Cormier]

But you passed out.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, not because I was like, like you though. I was screaming. I was painfully. Of course I remember at that moment. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, I don't know. I. And what thing is, I like challenges, you know, like challenges.

[Daniel Cormier]

Some of the challenges aren't safe.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. Now I'm smart. If somebody. Somebody even asked me, you know, meet and greets or kick me I don't kick, I don't sweat.

[Daniel Cormier]

You don't kick them anymore?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I don't do it.

[Daniel Cormier]

Why? Well, you got money now to lose. They could sue you.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, not because I'm a professional fighter. I don't have nothing to prove with these crazy people, you know, but you.

[Daniel Cormier]

Almost drown in the river at 6 years old and then you decide to jump into a frozen river.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

That was accident.

[Daniel Cormier]

What do you mean it was an accident? You, you dove head first.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, but I don't realize it was frozen. I thought it was just regular water with mud. Snow on top of it.

[Daniel Cormier]

Knocked you out?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, not cut me off. Like when I grab my head, like I'm like I'm so stupid. Why? Why? I don't check if it was prison and then.

[Daniel Cormier]

But what were you planning to do? It was, it was, it was. It was obviously cold outside.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

The gym was close and they text us, don't come in the gym, road is freeze. Then don't risk. And I was running outside to park and there is the lake there. And then I decide to take a ice bath after hard running.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Sweat. And I was hot. And when I decided to jump in the cold water, I'm like, oh, let me set up phone. I want to take a 10 second video to post my story. And I turn around the camera and I take my clothes off and you fell.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you didn't jump, you fell?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I jumped.

[Daniel Cormier]

With your head first.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Okay, okay, okay, let me explain this. So I know the water was like this deep, right? And it was no problem to me diving, but it was freezing and cold. Right? Water was cold and I don't want to check water temperature. Oh, if it's cold. Oh, it's cold.

[Daniel Cormier]

It makes it worse.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes, I want to just dive in. Just jump in.

[Daniel Cormier]

Well, jump in with your feet. Feet, Marav.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

You know, it's not fun. And I can dive in the water, you know, so. Yeah, so this, this, this water, water looked like, I guess it was ice on top and then some snow and the snow was a little bit. Looks like melted, you know, on top. I guess it was ice. And then it snow came and then snow melted on top. Little bit looks like, you know, melted snow on top. But it was. And if I check like with finger, if I check the temperature or if I touch. Oh, I, I will see that it was freezed by ice and I will of course not die within my head. But I thought it was just water.

[Daniel Cormier]

But why were you, why were you standing on the side of that building?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I Enjoyed those moments, my friend.

[Daniel Cormier]

Just. You like your heart rate like the, the heart rate like. You like the thrill.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I can control. I have balance.

[Daniel Cormier]

But what if you slip?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I'm not gonna sleep. If I sleep, then listen one day we all die.

[Daniel Cormier]

You don't think you should limit the opportunities for it to happen?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I mean, if somebody don't push me, I'm not gonna. You know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Rob, you posted that photo of your foot, even the broken toe going into a fight. You posted the photo of the broken toe. You are like, you are literally the most open person in all the fighting. You don't hide anything. People love you. You're. You're. You're, to me a bit reckless at times. But you posted the, the photo. Why? Why did you post it? Because even Dana White was like, oh, this guy's an idiot. Why would he post that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Okay, because if it's something serious injury, I will never.

[Daniel Cormier]

You would never post.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I will never post it. But yeah, I broke my toe is black and blue fucked up.

[Daniel Cormier]

But did you see Conor McGregor's toe? Why he put out of that one fight?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Hey, I cannot.

[Daniel Cormier]

Did you see Conor McGregor's toe when he pulled out of that fight?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I did, but who knows? Maybe he was big pain, whatever. And then I don't know his case, you know, but I know my case. I was with this broken toe. I was. I. I just finished the sparring and I look my broken toe and I'm like, I'm still doing this. No problem. It's not gonna affect me to fight.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

So I, I decide to just make funny story. And then it's like, oh, yeah, I have a broken stove broken toe, but it's no problem. And yeah, no excuse. That's why I posted. Because I know it wasn't not affect my face even when I cut my eye before my cut.

[Daniel Cormier]

You cut your eye too?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

And you show.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Okay. What happened was. This is another story. So, yeah, I got my cut and I got cut in my eye. And yeah, I go for those stitches. And then when the doctor doing the stitches, I pull up my phone and I wanted to look first, like how she's doing, right. And I look in the camera. Oh, I'm like, oh, let me take a video. Oh, actually let me make a from Instagram story. And then I'm like, oh, let me see. It looks fun. It's. It was. I like it. The. The process, you know?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I'm like, oh, let me go live. And I go live.

[Daniel Cormier]

But you had a fight coming up.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Very recently, yes, but same reason I know this, it's not gonna stop me.

[Daniel Cormier]

But you don't think that that kind of gives the opponent like, oh, my God, he's cut, he's got a broken toe. I can try to use that against him.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Okay, let them try. Let them try. We will see.

[Daniel Cormier]

You know, the UFC loves you because you're active, but when you hear Dana saying stuff, like when he gets a little bit upset at how reckless you can be or risky in the post and how you got a big personality, right? And he, at times, he can be a little critical of that. Like, when you see that, like, does that kind of, like, that kind of sucks, like, because I'm just being me.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, yeah. It was hard for sure. Like, you know, but now I realize, listen, I am who I am, you know, And I, you know, I'm. I'm doing what I know, what I love and what makes me happy and what makes me special fighter. Because everybody, even Aljo's training is different. He lives different. Like, he's very smart. He makes plans. You know me, I'm always late.

[Daniel Cormier]

Well, man, Hey, I guess I was supposed to tell you 20 minutes prior to the time that I needed you because, I mean, your manager, Danny Rubenstein, goes. You needed him here at 3:30. You should have said 3:15.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Why? Why? You're the champion. We should wait for you.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I'm busy. You know, I do this, I do this. You know, I do this. But it's okay. But, you know, yeah, of course it was. It was when Dana was talking, you know, he was mad about me. And of course you don't want to make mad your boss especially. You know what? I do like this, but I, who I am. And yeah, I'm still gonna do same.

[Daniel Cormier]

You know, that's why people love you so much. Because it feels like when we watch you, we're getting like you. It's not some facade, it's not some fake thing. Like you go home and you're somebody completely different. It feels like you're Marab Dewalish. Really? All the time, this is the guy that you are.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, but thing is, yeah, I like having fun. I like, have a positive. I like, have a smile. But, you know, like, when you train two times a day, most after training, you are.

[Daniel Cormier]

You go sleep, you.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I don't sleep, but I'm tired, you know, sometimes. Sometimes. Some places I, they stay, they see me shopping in Walmart. And where are you? Oh, you look very chill guy, bro. I'm in Walmart. What are you gonna do?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, I love Walmart. It's my favorite store. I love Walmart. I don't care how much money I make, I'm going to Walmart. I love Walmart.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

It's fine.

[Daniel Cormier]

Here we are though, right? For all those things. Here we are. Another title defense this time. UFC 320 against Corey Sandhagen. Merab, you just defended your belt again against Sean o'. Malley. I got two questions on that. One, did Sean o' Malley deserve a rematch? And two, were you surprised at how easily you won that second fight?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

First question. Deserved the rematch.

[Daniel Cormier]

He didn't deserve the rematch.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Not now, much as I would.

[Daniel Cormier]

No, I'm saying, when he entered the second fight, did he deserve to fight you the second time?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Of course.

[Daniel Cormier]

He beat Cheeto Vera. Yes, he beat Cheeto. You're right.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Also that time, it was no clear number one contender. Number. Okay, because I just beat Umar. And then.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you wanted the biggest Nate.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, of course. And the UFC wanted to give him chance. I think it was also UFC like this fight because. Because they want to give him chance if really is good and if really can beat me. He was superstar, like for ufc, right? He was the biggest, biggest name in our division, right? And then I think UFC wants to give him another opportunity. Like, everybody, like, not only. You see, like a lot of people were saying, oh, he was. He wasn't himself. And he was. He. He was all for something, you know, like, he also himself make mistake. He extended excuse. Remember he was making excuse.

[Daniel Cormier]

And then remember, like the sphere was like, good.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

He say my hip something. You know, he was fighting with hips. The same hips with all his life, you know, but so. And then I said, okay, but in my head, okay, he. He should be 70 better. Like he was saying, he said he's quit smoking weed.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's quit masturbation. No more masturbation, no more porn, nothing. You know what's crazy about that? His whole. His career. He went 19 fights when he masturbation and smoke weed. He lost one fight. Oh. Never won a fight without it. So maybe he should go back to doing this.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I don't know. Listen, maybe, maybe. I'm sure he helped him, you know, but yeah, he no more video games or social media and stuff. And in my head, okay, these guys will be even better. And then now I have to be even better. And that's how I mentality I came. And also I was first fight. I just want to win this belt because I know so many good guys. They was challenged for the belt. They never win the belt. They miss them opportunity. I don't want to miss that. I want to just win the belt one time and after I can be free and I can be forever UFC champion.

[Daniel Cormier]

Was it, was it easier than you thought that rematch you submitted him with like a north south choke?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, this is like I do this, I don't know what's the name is that but when I grab neck locking this hand.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh like a couple more like almost like a dark choke. Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And then just but from the north south position, were you surprised that he tapped?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No, I was not surprised because I, I, I, I trained against high level jujitsu guys and I do this kind of techniques.

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[Merab Dvalishvili]

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[Daniel Cormier]

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[Merab Dvalishvili]

That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

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[Daniel Cormier]

Where do you see the business actually heading?

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[Daniel Cormier]

The only constant in Hollywood is change.

[Variety Podcast Host]

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[Daniel Cormier]

Variety and listen, now you're fighting Corey Sandhagen. Now, Rory Sandhagen is a very, very talented striker. What do you think about him and his style come UFC 320? Or is Sandhagen and him being primarily a striker just another guy that's going to struggle with the pace and the pressure of marab duales?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Really? No, there's going to be war. Carl Sangan is really good fighter. You know, he is footwork very good. His cardio good. Even if you take him down, he attacks leg locks. He, he, he broke teacher delicious knee and he broke Pigerdo's knee and Pigueredo has to quit in the fight because of the knee injury. And you know, we will see how he knock out Frankie Edgar, another wrestler, you know, so, and this guy is dangerous. He has a lot of experience. It's gonna be scrap. He never tops, never give up. It never give up, you know, you know, it's gonna be good fight, good challenge. It's a new fight and then always new fight. It's always new challenge for me and yeah, I'm ready and I hope to be even better version.

[Daniel Cormier]

Is that exciting for you to get a different person, a new challenge and a guy like Corey Saneg?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Absolutely. Yeah. This is new fight, like I said and new challenge and then it makes me to motivate me, make me even work hard, train hard and be focused more.

[Daniel Cormier]

Can you, can you take anything from watching him and Umar? Because Umar was able to hold him and take him down. Like, yeah. Are you able to take something from that film and apply it to Corey Sanhage?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. I, I, I actually watched this fight when I was driving from the gym to the home. I watched in the phone two days ago and then I think I got some ideas to how I can beat this guy.

[Daniel Cormier]

Rob, do you think Corey Sandhagen made a million dollars showing his balls on OnlyFans. Do you believe that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

No way. No.

[Daniel Cormier]

Did you not see the story?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I did see the story first. I believe, like, this guy really do that. And I'm like, no, I will never show my balls.

[Daniel Cormier]

You won't show your balls. But for a million dollars, who's he showing it? A million dollars.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

But I don't believe he did. I think lately he's showing his jokes and his fun personality, and I think this was part of.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's trolling.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

He's trolling and he's making even. He was actually. Did you see that he was looking for spotting partners for me? Like, no. Yeah. You should check his YouTube or Instagram. He. He has, like. What's it called when you interviews? He was interviewing sparring partners.

[Daniel Cormier]

Really?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Oh, can you. Can you wrestling, like, can you. Can you dance like a Georgian like you. He say, merav looks like very horny guy.

[Daniel Cormier]

You think you look like horny guy?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

It's because all the girls. You're always with the girls. The girls love morale.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

This is. I'm looking for wife.

[Daniel Cormier]

You want wife now?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I want wife.

[Daniel Cormier]

Georgian or, like, American.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Priority will be Georgia.

[Daniel Cormier]

You need a big wife because you're kind of short. You need, like, a very tall wife. So you got big kids and strong kids. You want wrestlers, right?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Of course.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you need, like, a big wife.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

What are you doing to try to find a wife? Dating sites? No, my name is Merab Dual is really the UFC champion. What are you on dating sites?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Dating sites, not good for wives. But, you know, you get all the horse there.

[Daniel Cormier]

How you know that?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

America, brother. You know, I live here. Very happy 13 years. I'm grateful for the moments, but, like, now it's enough, you know, it's. Now it's time to find a good quality wife and have a beautiful family. And then, you know, so I gotta sacrifice with that, too, you know, I have a lot of choice, but I want to choose one respectful woman, you know?

[Daniel Cormier]

Where do you find a good Georgian woman? They don't live in Vegas. In Vegas, maybe, like, New York City has a big population. Georgian.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

In America, even. Even Georgians, great people, they come. America, most people change, you know.

[Daniel Cormier]

Really, you want a traditional wife. You want a wife that's more to the same values that you saw going up?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Because, like, you know, listen, I don't know. It's. It's. Yeah, exactly. If you talk about this one serious, It's. It's hard. It's hard, you know, because now I'm chasing my career. If she I don't want a fighter girl. No wrestler, no fighter, no popular girl. No Instagram.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Model girl.

[Daniel Cormier]

You know, that's all for fun. Now it's time to marry someone that, that matters.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, of course. Like, who wants family, who wants kids, who wants to, like, you know, I.

[Daniel Cormier]

Never thought I would hear that from you.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

I mean, the legend of Merab and how much the women love him is like huge. Now he's settled down, guy.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, man. Because this is crazy. Vegas. Crazy.

[Daniel Cormier]

So you carry the flag so proudly of Georgia, your country, world champion now, Ilya world champion. How much does it mean to you to be able to. To carry that flag, represent your country as the best in the world?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

This is my biggest motivation. And that's why I start sport too. I want to. I want to be one of Georgian guy to who represents my country outside of ufc. And now I'm doing this, and this makes me happy. And. Yeah. So, like, let me ask you, I have a question for you. Dc, when you start, like, wrestling, when he was young, what was the main reason why you started wrestling?

[Daniel Cormier]

It was like sport. It was sport. And it was something that my coach encouraged me to do. They wanted to get me out of the streets. I was bad. I was a bad little boy. Fight steal. Yeah, like, trouble stuff. Right. So they got me in the wrestling.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

It's crazy that, like, I was like this crazy kid too, but in the sport, once I start sport, no more fighting.

[Daniel Cormier]

You saved me.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Saves your life.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

It takes you, this, this crazy energy or something you don't want to take. Because when you have this energy and like this, you wanna. You don't know what to do. You. You're doing bad stuff. But if you do sport, you. You will do the good stuff.

[Daniel Cormier]

Merab, it does give you an ability to do great stuff in your life. But I gotta ask you a question.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

You came here as a young man.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

20 years of work to become a world champ and get to where you are today. Mariah, was it all worth it? Like, was it all worth it? All the hard work, the sacrifice, moving to America, was it all worth it?

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Absolutely, it was worth it. And I won't change nothing.

[Daniel Cormier]

You would do it again. So you're telling me the bad boxing gym, the. The experiences there, losing the first fight in your career, losing your first UFC fights, you wouldn't change it.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

I will not regret, you know, I will do same, because it's even. Makes even sweeter. Even I'm even more happier now. And you know, yeah, this, I. I Even, I think, gives me a lot of motivation. All this, you know, all these challenges and all this, you know, because. Because that's why I love this sport now. And that's why now I have no problems. Now I'm like, I'm champion. I'm top of the world. And now that's why I'm so motivated, so pumped to I know what's bad, like what the challenges was, what people are going through. But now I'm here now it's so much easy to be. Just keep going now. Now nothing's gonna start now I have name, I have value, and then I can keep fight if I want all my life. And then, you know, it was the moment when I lost two in a row in ufc. I was. I was thinking, oh, maybe UFC can cut me now. I hope they give me another chance. And then. And then I win my third fight in ufc. So after two loss, I win this next fight, and then I have one. One fight left on the contract. Fourth fight, and then UFC message us. They give me undefeated Brett Katona. He was training with Conor McGregor in Ireland, and the fight was in Canada. And I'm like, this is good. Of course I'm fighting UFC another fight. But. And I tell my manager, maybe, please, can you ask UFC if this is my last fight? I may lose this fight, you know, but I will fight him, no problem. But maybe can we make this fight in New York, November? Because it can be maybe my last fight, but I want to fight front of my people, because most Georgian people lives in New York. And I'm like, if it's my last fight, I want to fight in front of my people. And then this manager texts UFC Jean Shelby like this. And Sherby was very mad. If you want to fight, fight. If not. I had so many guys would love to fight there.

[Daniel Cormier]

And if not, the fighting you want.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. If not, you off. And then I said, no, no, no, sorry, sorry. We will fight. And I go back, I win. And I was so happy that I got new contract. And. Yeah, since that. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Murab, before I let you go. Financial freedom.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

When you think as a kid, you get a million dollars, all these great ideas. When you first made money, what was the first thing you bought? I know that you got that big, nice watch there.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

But, like, what was the first thing you bought when you made money? Not like 30 and 30. I'm talking 500,700. What was the first thing you bought when you got a big lump sum of money like that.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I buy A house? Yeah. America. I have, yeah, like you said, I have two house in the same block. Crazy.

[Daniel Cormier]

The American dream.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

American dream.

[Daniel Cormier]

Living the American dream.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah. I want to build a gym in my backyard here in Vegas for like for friends, for us, for training to my friends or my teammates, we can train like nighttime and stuff. And I also, I'm working on to build gym in Georgia and just to charity gym, you know, to help the young generations. And I wanna, my. I have my own ideas and how has to be in the coaching and training schedules and like this and I'm working on it and now like since I win the belt, I'm working on this project and now I'm finally like getting closer to making. Making real this.

[Daniel Cormier]

You've done some amazing things in your career, man. That young kid that came in America, if he would know what his life would have become, he would have never have believed it. Because today you're the world champion. One of the best pound form fighters in the world.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Yeah, I agree. It was yeah like even one years ago before I came champion, I was not. It was hard to even believe that I can even, even come champion and then hold the belt, defend his belt and fighting and then. Yeah, man, even yeah man. I'm grateful for all the opportunities what I given. Toast. Toast.

[Daniel Cormier]

As always. Cheers. Rob, was the cheer, was the toast on. This.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Toast is cheers for you. You are great champion. Great, great man, great family man. And now I want to be like you. You I already champion now I want to have a family like you have and I want to send my kids in Georgia for wrestling and, and forget. Forget guys.

[Daniel Cormier]

You are the man, champ. Thank you so much, man.

[Merab Dvalishvili]

Thank you.

[Daniel Cormier]

My friend Rob Dallas really defends his championship this weekend Against Corey Sandhagen UFC 320. Make sure you go and watch Buy the pay per view. Tap into everything Marab the machine is doing. Thank you guys so much for watching the Daniel Cormier show with Marab Dwallis. Rul today. Until next time, like subscribe and tell your friends. I got a YouTube channel. You don't want to miss any of our content. Peace.

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[Daniel Cormier]

That's lenovo.com@hill's pet Nutrition we know that pet parent guilt is real. Leaving too long, playing too little. New homes, new babies, Waking them up when they look so comfy. Running out of patience, running out of treats, running the vacuum. You can only do so much. That's why there's hills. Science led nutrition to help you give more love than humanly possible because you're only human. There's hills. Find the right [e-mail] science does more.

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[Merab Dvalishvili]

Boom XBoom this is an iHeart podcast.