Full transcript
0:00This man next to me is not much of a
0:01man, he's more of a machine. How about
0:03Merab Dvalishvili, the former UFC
0:05bantamweight champion, who will be back
0:07in the title spot UFC 333 in late
0:10October in Abu Dhabi. Merab, how you
0:13feeling? How you been? It's been a while
0:14since we've seen you in the spotlight.
0:16>> I feel great. Uh
0:18and uh training every day and getting
0:21ready for my next fight, as you
0:23mentioned, in Abu Dhabi.
0:24>> It'll be a trilogy bout with the new
0:26champion Petr Yan. You had your rematch
0:28in December, you were fighting four
0:30times in one year. When you look back,
0:33what are your emotions looking back at
0:34that fight?
0:35>> No, um
0:37no excuse.
0:39Um just uh I I wanted to be busy and uh
0:44I was the one that who tell UFC if you
0:47need me, I was ready.
0:48And then uh yeah, I
0:51I lost to my rematch. Now we have a
0:54trilogy.
0:55It's one and one. And then now we're
0:58we're going to find out who is the real
1:00champion, and I believe it's me. And uh
1:03training going good. I just coming from
1:06a hard sparring session. Training with
1:08Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili,
1:10and David Grant. And uh so I'm very
1:13confident, you know, I training with the
1:15best like three of
1:17the best UFC fighter and doing good. So
1:20I will do very good against Yan.
1:22>> We have to ask you about the nose,
1:23Merab. Is it going to heal soon? You got
1:25surgery coming up. What's going to be
1:26the future?
1:27>> I'm good. I was uh
1:30the ladies still like me, so I'm okay.
1:32>> [laughter]
1:33>> That's the most important.
1:34>> I think the ladies still like you
1:36regardless. Uh
1:38uh you're a great guy, great
1:39personality, and all that. But when we
1:40talk about this trilogy fight with Yan,
1:43do you have to be different to win in
1:45this third meeting be- between him?
1:47How do you look at this matchup?
1:49>> I think I have to be myself, you know?
1:51The the last fight I was trying to be
1:53different, but I I was I was chasing his
1:56head too much. Now I'm going to chase
1:58his body, you know, and then then the
2:02mix it up and then
2:04and then and then just I will be myself,
2:07you know, like um
2:08he was he he was the one that who was
2:12who was working then I I
2:15he was the number one. Now I will be
2:17number one. I will be the one who will
2:19chase him and then who the rip the body
2:21and rip the head and break his face.
2:24>> You had one of the longest win streaks
2:26in UFC history. Snap that and I believe
2:28it was 14 consecutive. When you look
2:30back on that, how much pride do you have
2:32in what you were accomplishing in that
2:34stretch leading up to that loss?
2:35>> Yeah,
2:36I mean even for me that was impressive
2:3814 fight win streak in UFC. It's it's a
2:41big deal especially I beat like so many
2:44big names.
2:46Uh
2:46but
2:47listen, I mean real MMA people knows
2:51what was the
2:54you know, they give me respect so that's
2:56all I care. But now um
2:59my all focus on for Petr Yan and win
3:03this fight and
3:05this fight is the for the belt and
3:07God willing I know I'm going to win this
3:10this time and I'm going to continue stay
3:13busy.
3:14>> Well well you you always stay busy.
3:16That's a big part of what you do here
3:17and the division has kept moving since
3:20your last fight. You'll be back in
3:21October but what did you make of Song
3:23Yadong coming out there in China and
3:26delivering the boom to your old foe Umar
3:28Nurmagomedov?
3:29>> Yeah man, Song Yadong's performance was
3:32impressive. I always know that guy is
3:34dangerous and um
3:36you know, I mean
3:39when I see that Umar lost that that way
3:41I was not happy because I never wish
3:43somebody lost or get KO like this. I was
3:47not happy but
3:49but I was excited for Song Yadong
3:53because he's the new contender now. He's
3:56new blood. I never fought him and um
3:59he he
4:00makes excite me because he he's he's
4:03dangerous. He has a knockout power and
4:05then
4:06and then I can't wait so God willing I'm
4:08going to
4:10win this fight and I think if I beat
4:13Petr, the Song Yadong will be the next
4:15my opponent because we never fought.
4:17It's going to be new challenge for me
4:19and I'm excited because I'm excited to
4:21challenge myself against a
4:24top prospect and then
4:26uh yeah, so
4:28>> Well, it's interesting you bring that up
4:29about the potential matchmaking
4:31scenarios. We talked to Sean O'Malley,
4:32your old foe, in recent weeks and he
4:34said he hopes that Petr Yan wins who he
4:37has a win over him because he thinks he
4:39would be next for the title and rematch.
4:41He believes if you win, it's going to be
4:43Song Yadong. So,
4:45>> Yeah, I think that's that's 100% right.
4:48If Petr beats me, then yeah, it's it's
4:50going to be Sean O'Malley Petr Yan's two
4:53and then if I beat Petr, then me and
4:55Song Yadong. So, because I beat
4:57everybody. So,
4:59>> One other name we want to ask you about
5:00in your division, UFC 332, October 3rd
5:03in Salt Lake City. How about young Petr
5:05Yan getting the co-main event spot
5:07against the veteran Deiveson Figueiredo?
5:09What do you make of Talbott? Do you
5:10think he's closing in on maybe being a
5:13contender in this division?
5:14>> Yes, absolutely. He's
5:16very talented, very high-level fighter
5:18and uh
5:20yeah, I mean
5:21it's a he has a big challenge, but
5:26if he wins, he will be another
5:28challenger, too, you know? Yeah, it's a
5:30good good good yes, man. Like, I'm
5:32excited these all young guys coming and
5:36uh
5:36keeps me good shape and keeps me
5:38motivated.
5:38>> Well, you're always in great shape. You
5:40may have the best cardio of any human
5:42we've ever seen in this sport. I
5:43remember last year you were saying I
5:44might fight till I'm 45, 50 years old.
5:47Do you still feel like that?
5:48>> I still feel like that, man. I I I My
5:52number is 50. I want to fight until 50.
5:54Like
5:56And then then then super fights after
5:58like
5:59>> [laughter]
6:01>> Well, I want to ask you, what are your
6:02remaining goals? Obviously, you're going
6:03to have an opportunity to regain your
6:04championship, start a whole new win
6:07streak. But what are your remaining
6:08goals in the sport, whether it's
6:10specific matchups or accomplishments?
6:13>> Uh so, win all my next fights now. Maybe
6:19I had a 45 win streak. Now I have to
6:22make a 55 win streak.
6:24>> [laughter]
6:25>> So, yeah, let's do it.
6:27>> Well, we can't wait to see you back
6:28there at the end of October in Abu
6:30Dhabi, UFC 333. You're back fighting for
6:33your belt. We wish you well.
6:34>> Appreciate it. Thank you so much.