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UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is anything but a quitter.
'The Machine' has built a reputation for his dogged attitude and relentless fighting pace.
As he approaches a generational run of his own, Dvalishvili could find himself in the same league as previous champions Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw, if he hasn't already. However, when it comes to dream fights in the history of MMA, these names don't come to mind.
Merab Dvalishvili names dream MMA fight as Conor McGregor
Stake Ambassador Dvalishvili told MMA Knockout that Conor McGregor would be his dream fight. It might be cliche, but 'The Notorious' has left the largest impact on the sport.
"I love Conor McGregor, to fight somebody like him that would be a dream fight," Dvalishvili said. "I love him. . . Personally I have nothing to fight him. . . But I fought Sean when he was the champion of the world, and I'm good. Other than [Conor] I have nothing else."
Dvalishvili would rather fight contenders on principle, especially considering he took such a tough route to the belt. This is despite taking on O'Malley in an immediate rematch.
"I have this thing where I want to fight the most deserving guys," Dvalishvili continued. "And whoever is in line, I want to fight the best."
Merab Dvalishvili snubs injury concerns ahead of UFC 316
Dvalishvili drew concern from fans with a video of his bruised toe that he posted earlier this month. Fights have been cancelled for less, notably Conor McGregor's UFC 303 return, which was cancelled over a broken little toe.
'The Machine' doesn't care to compare himself to other fighters, but dismisses the injury all the same.
"It's not going to affect me for fighting or training," Dvalishvili said. "I feel good physically and mentally. . .
"I can't talk for other fighters' situations, but for me this little toe is nothing. I'm a fighter and this will not affect me in the fight. . . . It won't be a problem."
For a man that went viral for splitting his head open in a frozen lake, a toe is little concern.
Right ok so... Merab Dvalishvili just hurled himself head first into a solid ice lake and cracked his head open. Fun. pic.twitter.com/saINOIMmuc
— UFCFightTalk (@UFCFightTalk) February 3, 2021
Dvalishvili makes a second defense of his bantamweight belt in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7.
More must-reads:
- Mets manager gives blunt response to blowing six-run lead
- Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
Yankees Announce Paul Goldschmidt News After Loss to Twins
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