Demetrious Johnson and Merab Dvalishvili recently shared a sparring session, sparking a lot of discussion in the MMA community.
Johnson walked away from MMA in May 2023. He was the inaugural UFC flyweight champion and set a record with 11 consecutive title defenses. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is currently on a dominant 13-fight winning streak. His next challenge will be to defend his bantamweight title against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 on October 4. Pictures from their sparring session show the two elite fighters exchanging knowledge.
One of the key benefits of this sparring is Johnson’s expertise in dealing with unorthodox strikers. Sandhagen is known for his creative and versatile striking, using a wide range of attacks from various angles and distances. Johnson can help Dvalishvili learn how to cut off the cage and anticipate Sandhagen’s unpredictable movements. For example, Johnson’s ability to maintain a high pace and pressure his opponents could be a key factor in a fight against Sandhagen.
Another major benefit is Johnson’s elite grappling and submission defense. While Sandhagen is primarily known for his striking, he has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and has shown a willingness to engage in wrestling and grappling exchanges. His ability to go for leg locks and other submissions, which he has done in his fights against Deiveson Figueiredo and Umar Nurmagomedov, could pose a unique threat to Dvalishvili, who will likely be looking to take the fight to the ground.
Johnson, who is a master of submissions and offensive grappling, can help Dvalishvili learn how to defend submissions and how to set up his own submissions. Finally, the sparring provides Dvalishvili with a mental edge. Johnson has been in countless championship fights and has a wealth of experience dealing with the pressure of a title defense. He can help Dvalishvili prepare mentally for the biggest fight of his career.
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