UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is built different.
Dvalishvili (21-4 MMA, 14-2 UFC) defended his title for a third time this year when he defeated Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision this past Saturday at UFC 320.
Khalil Rountree Jr., who shares the same head coach as Dvalishvili, was rendered speechless when he watched “The Machine” prep on fight day.
“I promise you this is a 100 percent true story,” Rountree Jr. said on “The JAXXON PODCAST.” “At 12 o’clock in the afternoon on fight day, Saturday, Oct. 4, Merab sparred five rounds in the cage – live on the day of his fight, because that’s just who he is. Five full live rounds at 12 o’clock, not even half a day before he has to be in the arena to put on the biggest fight of his career. That’s just him. You cannot make it up.
“So to be around that, it’s just another experience. Most guys will sit in the hotel room or try to collect their thoughts, or maybe even get a bike ride in on the assault bike to kind of burn some energy. I’ve never in my life seen somebody spar five full rounds the day that they have to fight and go another five full rounds with Cory Sandhagen. Yeah, he’s a different breed.”
Former title challenger Rountree Jr. competed on the same night, but fell short when he was finished by Jiri Prochazka. Rountree won the first two rounds before getting knocked out in Round 3.
