If there’s one thing Alexander Volkanovski and Merab Dvalishvili agree on, it’s that they don’t want to fight each other. Speaking to Manouk Akopyan, Dvalishvili dismissed the idea of ever facing Volkanovski inside the Octagon. “It’s nothing like I don’t want to take a risk, or it’s nothing like I’m scared or something,” he explained earlier this year. “But I just have so much respect, I just don’t want to fight Alex Volkanovski.” Interestingly, Volkanovski shares the same sentiment, showing equal respect toward the Georgian contender.

Merab Dvalishvili, who trains at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas under head coach John Wood, is known for having one of the most demanding training regimens in the sport. It was that intensity that led to the toe injury he suffered ahead of his UFC 316 rematch with Sean O’Malley. Now, as Volkanovski prepares for his third title defense at UFC 320 against Cory Sandhagen, the reigning featherweight champion has offered his honest take on the card’s co-main event, where Dvalishvili understandably enters as the -380 moderate favorite.

On September 30, on his YouTube channel, Alexander Volkanovski spoke about the upcoming fight and admitted he’s very intrigued by the matchup. At one point, he even asked someone from the video team in the background who their favorite was. Before anyone could answer, Volkanovski said, “Merab has to be. And he should be.”

The person in the background mentioned that Cory Sandhagen was coming in as a big underdog. Volkanovski responded by predicting, “I think Merab’s gonna win.” Still, he clarified his stance by stressing his admiration for both fighters. “I love both these guys. Obviously, love Merab. Merab’s a man. So’s Cory. Such a nice dude. Both incredible human beings. I wish they both could win. Very close to Merab. Very solid dude. And I think he will wear on him, and that’s what’s going to happen. I think he stays safe enough,” he explained.

Volkanovski, however, pointed out Sandhagen’s danger factor. “The good thing you got to remember, as I told you, Sandhagen is dangerous,” he said. “If he [Sandhagen] lights out, he is done. But if he hurts Merab, Merab is so tough, fit, and durable where he can get himself out of trouble. Like you go there, you get hurt. He will hang on and do stuff, and he will do enough to survive, and then all of a sudden, he will be in a position where he could slow things down, and then now all of a sudden, you are back in a bad position against him. So he can survive being hard. So that could happen as well.”

Interestingly, Merab Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling immediately comes to mind, but it’s his overall durability and pace that set him apart. He has dominated every opponent in his path, from striking-based fighters like Sean O’Malley to well-rounded wrestlers like Petr Yan. Still, what makes him especially unique isn’t just his skill but his ability to maintain that grueling pace for five full rounds. And, as Joe Rogan recently highlighted, only two fighters in the UFC currently excel at such cardio: reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez.

JOe Rogan picks Merab Dvalishvili and Anthony Hernandez as UFC’s endurance beasts

During episode #2384 of the JRE podcast with former two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr, Joe Rogan highlighted two fighters with unmatched endurance. “But there’s guys like that, that have that f—ing insane cardio. I don’t know how much are you following the UFC, but there’s a kid, Anthony Hernandez, in the middleweight division, that’s nuts. And then you got Merab Dvalishvili, who’s like the best example of it. Unstoppable!” said Rogan. But that’t not all.

Joe Rogan’s picks reflect two of the UFC’s most relentless athletes. One is Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, who has carved a name for himself in the middleweight division with his combination of elite cardio and slick submission skills, most recently showcased in his win over Roman Dolidze. Another is Merab Dvalishvili, who has revived the lost art of outlasting opponents across five rounds, drawing comparisons to former heavyweight great Cain Velasquez. But is the 20-4 fighter truly the cardio king?

A quick glance at Dvalishvili’s 2023 clash with Petr Yan might answer that. In that fight, the Georgian attempted a record-breaking 49 takedowns, landing 11, and never slowed down for a second. Now preparing for his third title defense of the year against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320, ‘The Machine’ is once again chasing records. That said, do you think Merab Dvalishvili can extend his reign with yet another dominant win?