Merab Dvalishvili “Henry Cejudo has to beat me or he’s done” | UFC 298

Merab Dvalishvili speaks on his upcoming bout with olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in a UFC Bantamweight Bout. Speaks on training with Aljamain Sterling and what advice he was given

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Em Rob right here to your left yes obviously huge fight you know going to try to solidify that title shot get the win streak uh to 10 just tell me how significant this one feels compared to some of the other fights you’ve had of late it’s a big fight but actually it feels

Like a normal fight uh but I have a other than I have a big challenge hudo otherwise it’s just normal fight in I’m a professional and uh every fight is very serious uh in especially in UFC um this fight important like before or before where do you think Henry is

Coming into this fight CU he was here a bit ago and on one hand he says if I win I’m going to get the next title shot then I’m going to go to 145 and fight for the belt there but if I lose I’m done I’m retiring so where do you think

He is mentally like do you think it’s bad for him that he seems to have one foot out the door a little bit uh no I think uh he is right place because that he talks from the facts uh because if he beats me of course he will fight for the

Title because he was champion and uh he he lost against is the the great Champion alj Stan split decision and um and uh he’s big name very good fighter and uh if he lost then of course he’s not gonna just keep fights then get again the number one Contender fight is

Of course it takes time and now he has a family he has money and he I don’t think he just won to fights he wants only gold and uh so if he lose against me of course he’s going to retire because it’s going to take more time to him come come

This uh take this SP again and uh so I think he’s talking from the facts uh and uh either everything or nothing for him and that’s how his mentality that’s why he’s dangerous because I know he will he he he will try everything for win this

Fight and I’m sure he’s hungry and I know how hard he wants because that’s how hard I want to because I I never got opportunity fight for the title and uh I want to you know I want to have this experience and that would be huge for me and huge for my

Country do you think that makes Henry more dangerous in the fight like you said he’s going to leave it all out there or do you think it’s an advantage for you if you go out there and you maybe win the first round dominantly you can sap some of his will and his

Energy uh fight against Henry every round will be H very hard for me you know it’s if it’s five round then I will say like fourth round and fifth round I will be more comfortable but three round fight Henry will be dangerous any second and um I’m

Just uh I I’ll be just uh very Pocus and um no I think it’s keeps him dangerous because uh I don’t think uh yeah because I I think he’s mentally strong even he knows you know he has to beat me otherwise yeah he’s done and he’s he yeah he’s fighting for beat me

And he wants belt you know there is no question here you know and um same thing like when I was fighting josi Aldo you know he was coming from three fight win streak when he beat choo and all other contenders and if he beats me then he

Was supposed to fight for the title and but I beat him and then he don’t want to go back down to Lara and then keep coming again so it’s gonna be same thing Henry so jalo after me retire so I think uh yeah I don’t think Henry

Wants same thing he wants to win the belt again after he coming from retirement how many times do you think you can take down an Olympic gold medalist in 15 minutes actually I’m not focus of this because it’s a fight um uh he is better wrestler than me he’s he

Has a Olympic gold you know I’m sure if you’re wrestling he he will beat me in wrestling rules but in MMA I think uh I will do very very well against him you know because it’s a MMA it’s a fight it’s totally different game and uh uh I’m I’m focused of win the

Fight and I don’t I’m not focused of uh Tak him down uh because it’s a it’s a fight you know it’s not wrestling tournament it’s not Olympic game you know we understand he has a gold medal I know but in MMA all I want to do is just

Win even if I have to just uh just kicking all day you know I will do that and just last thing um we’ve seen some of the great videos you put out in the leadup to this you know it seems like people are really enjoying them is this

Something you’re doing because you feel you need to show more of your personality and get a bigger fan base going into a title fight or is this just always being you now you’re just getting the chance to show it it’s it’s been always me uh I like have a fun I like

Have a positivity I like uh I’m fine to make fun of myself make joke of myself and I’m not afraid to people say some people you know like you know when three years ago when I post uh accidentally when I break ice and I I cut my head you

Know uh and when I had this video I posted this I was thinking if I post this a lot of people would say I’m a stupid yes I did make stupid accident but this is my life I’m not I’m not afraid you know this that’s what I’m

Doing you know I’m my fighter and this is little crazy life and I don’t care and I posted and and then yeah everybody love it you know so and then it’s always been me just I have a the friend now who’s helping me with adding and it’s so

Much easier to do this I don’t have to do the take a video by myself you know so it’s so much easy to do with my training so but the idea is it’s my idea and whatever whatever was bothering me like even uh Henry screw up

My last name and I want to teach him to how to say my last name like I want to see the a lot of people too like my my first name and last name same is how you read you know meab D it’s I think it’s

Simple easy and um and also like the when uh Champion called number six and the number six now calling number four and nobody want to fight me then that’s that was my that was bothering me that’s why I make these fun videos and then now the Henry S Henry

Cejudo uh wasn’t working with his coach and uh I have a video with his coach before and I added it and I make funny video with this so that was it morab in the in the newest video that you put out there’s a scene that says how Georgians think I’m training and

It’s you in the snow with the full armor uh what is your background in like a traditional Georgian martial arts to have like AO Le you ever participate in this I born in village wani and um uh I was fighting all the time outside we was

Wrestling and uh I grew up very wild uh and then when I was nine I moved to capito city and after a couple years later I started training in Judo and um and my goal was to uh uh compet it like high level like Olympic World Championship in Judo but

2008 they changed the rules and I was I started but an MMA came up and I try and I feel love with MMA and I realize that was my Sport and that’s what I should do all my life and I transfer to MMA so yeah so my my

Background is uh Judo and sble um yeah and so uh I’m just curious what have you heard what has Alo helped you sort of train for this fight since he’s already fought Henry rather recently uh yeah Alo give me good advice Alo told me to just do you you know just

Do your style and uh Henry is good fighter he’s tricky you know he hits hard he has good takedowns everything else but just do your style you know and I was focused of myself this this training camp I don’t I mean I wasn’t training specific for like um I mean I

Was I was training of course with my team I was training of course but like um I wasn’t trying to bring somebody who look like Henry who throw like kick like Henry you know I was just we was just focusing just get get myself better every everywhere well then I’m going to

Do whatever I’m doing best you know I’m just going to keep fight hard and uh uh yeah yeah I’ll Jo give me this advice then just be you and I’ll be me and what is the reason that you’re training in Vegas for this Camp as opposed to with

Uh with Ray and Matt in New York you guys know I I I love my team s Longo but uh like four years ago when I first uh um visit Las Vegas and the training there uh and so much easier and I have so many training partners

Um and uh it’s not get cold like New York and everything is so close and so comfortable especially we have a UFC pi and uh it’s very live in Las Vegas very peaceful for me in New York I have so many good friends big Georgian community

And every day I have to go somebody’s birthday or I have to pick somebody from airport or you know somebody’s getting married you know you know you know I I love I enjoy this Stu and I can I can never say no so this this this distracts

Me from the training so here in Las Vegas uh I’m more focus and uh I training every day and then I like the the training time like you know I can go morning practice and then go to the lunch and then I can training nighttime again so New York training it’s only

Nighttime and uh you know you have to it’s it’s good training but uh like morning training session I have to organize which is I’m I’m I’m very busy I’m going you know if if I I need I need special coach for this you know and anyway so so Las Vegas very comfortable

For me you know like a training style uh training partners and uh it’s uh but you know I I still have a you know like um of course I still represent my team even I training at syndicat MMA you know I will be always appreciate my my team s

Longo um uh yeah this time I only have a three corners I can only because of I’m I’m not I’m not Main Event so and uh uh I call Matera and he’s so cool of course you know he said no problem brother do your thing and then this time I have met

No this time I have a R Longo my corner Al my Sterling and my coach in Las Vegas John Wood so and because I’ve been working with John would uh so much like in personal and you know so yeah that’s it we’re over here do you think the fact that you prepare

You helped prepare aljo for his fight against Henry plays into your favor like I already helped my teammate prepare for this guy we learned from this guy at that fight and now it’s my turn now I know more about this guy no no it’s uh

It’s it’s not like this you know yes I did help aljo but even I was trying to mimic Henry but I’m not Henry Al Jah Henry know it’s it’s Henry is Henry he’s he’s you know no yeah I did study him I did watch his fight but you know it’s it’s still

Challenge you know it’s nothing Nothing’s Gonna help me you know it’s I have to just do my best and just be me you know uh and uh yeah of course those little nuances it’s it’s Mera but uh yeah I don’t think it’s going to help me or something obviously there’s a big

Georgian connection on this specific Fight Card you’re fighting Henry cejudo and Elia Torri who represents Georgia and Spain is fighting for the featherweight title so what were your guys’s conversations going into this fight week and how are you guys feeling in this special moment yes you’re right this is big moment

For Georgian people uh uh the Ilia topura fighting for the belt and uh I’m fighting for the number one Contender uh Rank and uh all Georgians so excited um they they they some people are going to watch fights in stadium like of course like we have like a CH like Santa sports

Like ESPN in Georgia like so many people buy it already and like so many Georgian who lives here uh in US they are coming to fights and then the people are coming from other countries to us especially for this fight and U me and IIA we just

Happy for each other I’m so happy for my brother you know he deserved and he’s you know hard work pays off for him he’s so smart he’s he’s very or or he’s organizing everything his training camp you know everything like he’s so smart and strong and hard worker and um me you

Know um this is another challenge for me even I I I think I deserved fight fight for the title I should I don’t need another Challenger I don’t have to prove again then I am number one Contender but this is what it this I’m not making this

Decision uh I cannot control this um U yeah I signed the contract now I’m going to fight Henry seudo and uh but yeah after this you know we talk after you know because yeah last one’s for me um following UFC 292 you said you showed your displeasure towards Mark gard and

The way he stops fights so in case you show up Saturday night and he’s officiating your fight how would you deal with that yeah like uh I said I tweet you know I have hobia Mar hobia because I’m really when I see him I he’s very like a

In guy like he’s always stops fights early you know and then I hate early stoppage like as you guys see me and Marlo Moray you know like some referes can maybe stop this fight but I came back right we all see that my friend Roman do got dropped right and then like

Many raer maybe will stop him but he came back and he fought i’ rather die there you know I have a Long training camp I training for this all my life and you know I rather go out like say me what I’m there bro I’m taking punches

You know I don’t need to save it I just saw the video the maras fight and he just quit like in like this I’m nothing man it’s it’s um yeah I’m not a guy I’m I’m a warrior you I’m a fighter I’m not I don’t like to quit you know if I go

Out and yeah and you see me I can’t defend myself but if I’m moving if I’m if I’m react let me fight okay that’s my tongue you know I respect everybody just I I just please like I want to tell all referes uh please no early stoppage you

Know I I I want to be please let me fight you know and because it’s it’s this it’s so hard like to you know change after we make result you know we all know what happened to my second fight in UFC Atlantic City when

Uh I made the Bell you know Ricky SE was trying me trying to choke me and I made it but and uh how I know is Marg was side referee and he tell the uh the judges and whoever commission whatever I was in and out and he said they said

It’s a TKO or something but if I was out why don’t they stop me if they don’t stop me and they let me fight they should just go to the score who win the score so uh yeah but but the judge who the the referee who was in the oan he

Let me fight because he saw me I was fighting and my eye was open I was moving my leg and things like this man you know uh it’s it’s it’s hard for me because I’m fighting you know it’s I’m there and then and it’s so much easier like you

Referee and you you can stop early or something it’s easy for you but it’s not you know I want to fight you know that’s it because I can’t control if you stop then I’m lost but I I’m I’m in the fight understand and very last one for me

Obviously you mentioned that you’re out here or you’re out in Vegas more often now so you are putting in work at Syndicate in Las Vegas so what is your favorite part about putting in the work with those great Fighters and coaches that are inside that gym everything uh I

Love my team and I’m I’m still visiting back uh New York Long Island you know this is my second home Long Island you know uh and of course I love my coaches meter R Longo we have a great relationship um I love those guys we are

Team We are family you know we always will be and I will be always appre apprciate but now yeah I I live like 95% in Las Vegas if I’m if I’m visit New York of course I’m going training with my team and then if my some teammates from New York

Fighting I’m going to support go there but in in Las Vegas uh okay there so many things I like in Vegas so uh first of all I have a beautiful house and I live very peaceful you know I have a a pool I have a jauzi which even winter

Time goes hot I can just jump in no problem you know I can hang out with my friends you know and uh uh the the the training like I said it’s easy to go morning training lunch in pi and training at at nighttime go home hang out with my

Friends I have a bar in my house now even I don’t drink alcohol my friends can come enjoy the drinks you know I’m a Georgian and I like to pet people you know and uh it’s New York it’s everything is hard nobody has time in Las Vegas like every my friends from

Other states or even my country they come in everybody come in Vegas you know everybody come in everybody have a vacation in Las Vegas and everybody want to have a good time in Las Vegas so and then always you can have a nice good time have fun and same time you can be

Just training hard and if you want you can have a feast to it there is so many place to hiking running in the mountains and like this New York it’s it’s hard thank you thank you everybody uh I want to say for Georgians for Logistics thank you everybody