Remember how last year, ahead of his UFC 308 match against Robert Whittaker, Khamzat Chimaev made last-minute adjustments to his training camp? The Chechen native reunited with his old coach, Salim Nutsalkhanov, just a few weeks before the bout, which many saw as a risky move. However, ‘Borz’s performance proved everyone wrong, and he repeated the same dominance at UFC 319 in August, becoming the middleweight champion. Following a similar strategy, UFC’s rising star Chepe Mariscal, less than a week away from his UFC 322 showdown, has joined the gym of UFC’s “cardio king,” Merab Dvalishvili, to maximize his performance.

Before committing, the Illinois-based fighter spent time exploring various gyms, including Dvalishvili’s Syndicate MMA, for a week. At Syndicate MMA, Mariscal discovered all the “ingredients” of a strong training camp under coach John Woods. So, what are these ingredients? Let’s take a closer look.

The secret behind success at Merab Dvalishvili’s Syndicate MMA gym

“I just felt something telling me to go to Syndicate and try it out. I gave it a week to try out, and suddenly, Merab Dvalishvili, even that week we sparred like three times,” revealed Chepe Mariscal while speaking to MMA Junkie.

Then, when journalists asked why he chose Vegas over staying with his team and coaches in Colorado, and what drew him to Syndicate MMA, they said, “You said you gave it a week, so maybe it was your way of interviewing the gym and the coach. But what was it you were looking for so that, you know, you knew that that was the place to be? Was it, like, maybe practice starts on time, or they go hard, or your teammate looks out for you? You know, like, what was it that secret ingredient that you really wanted to click with and make sure was there if you were going to stay there?”

Chepe Mariscal agreed with the reporter on the importance of having strong teammates, saying, “You said all the ingredients, to be honest... They had all those three ingredients you just mentioned.” He also praised the toughness at Syndicate MMA, where fighters from Russia and Georgia “outstruck” him, leading him to realize, “This is exactly where I want to be.” The Illinois star embraced the environment for the “competitive edge” it offered.

Merab Dvalishvili began training with John Woods at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas after relocating there in late 2023. While he continues to maintain ties with his previous team at Serra-Longo in New York, he has made Woods and Syndicate MMA his primary training base. Now, with the new featherweight star in his gym, will Dvalishvili be supporting Chepe Mariscal in his corner at UFC 322?

Is Dvalishvili going to be in Chepe Mariscal’s corner?

Chepe Mariscal is riding a five-fight winning streak and has remained undefeated since making his UFC debut in the featherweight division, which has recently been under the spotlight due to betting scandals. Following a run similar to Steve Garcia, Mariscal now aims to extend his streak to six at Madison Square Garden on November 15th, where he will face the formidable Pat Sabatini. To prepare for this challenge, Mariscal has surrounded himself with top-tier support, including his teammate Merab Dvalishvili and coach John Woods.

The question remains whether the Georgian champion will be in the corner of the Illinois native. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Mariscal shared which coaches will accompany him, while confirming he still retains his old coach, along with John Woods, “For some coaches, I did close a chapter with them. But I have one coach, his name’s Keo, my jiu-jitsu coach, he’s most likely going to be in my corner. He’s a coach who’s always looked out for me in those kinds of scenarios. So, it’s like, all right, I have him, my coach, and John Wood, and then my wife, Claire.”

Mariscal, however, has not confirmed whether Merab Dvalishvili will be in his corner. Next month, the Georgian champion will defend his title for the fourth time this year at UFC 323, the final pay-per-view of the year, which makes it difficult for him to attend Madison Square Garden next week.