Exclusive | Mate Sanikidze On Training Partner Merab Dvalishvili: “He has a Lionheart.”

Oktagon MMA fighter Mate Sanikidze has worked closely with UFC contender Merab Dvalishvili as they are both from Tbilisi, Georgia. We sit down with Sanikidze for an exclusive interview to discuss his upcoming fight and the UFC 306 main event.

Mate Sanikidze Talks Merab Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 will be looking to capture the UFC bantamweight world title against ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley. While at Oktagon 61, upcoming on September 21, Sanikidze will be looking to make an impact in Oktagon’s bantamweight division. He is the former featherweight champion who is looking for gold at bantamweight.

Speaking in an interview with LowKickMMA, Sanikidze explained about Merab Dvalishvili:

“I have a good relationship with him. We are friends, and I know what’s happening in his heart — both as a friend and as a fighter. We could go so far if we start to describe particular things that will happen, but I just want to mention this: there’s only one guy, one guy, who can beat Sean O’Malley …

“There’s just one guy who can beat him. He’s the only one in the world because he has a lion heart. He’s patriotic, and his emotional state helps him before the fight.

“Your performance depends on your mood, you know? What really sets your mood, for example? In my case, before a fight, my mood isn’t always happy or anything like that.

“Every fighter is different. For Merab, it’s necessary to create a good mood naturally, not in a fake way or anything like that. And I know, I saw Merab in Tbilisi. We had a one-week camp together. We sparred, and I know he’s ready to beat the number one fighter in the world because he really is number one.”

See the full interview below: