Dana White alerted as UFC champ vows to vacate belt for debutant: “Sort it out as friends”

UFC 135-pound champion Merab Dvalishvili ready to give up gold for Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre Topuria, the divisional new blood and debutant at UFC 312.

Dana White alerted as UFC champ vows to vacate belt for debutant: “Sort it out as friends”

UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili to relinquish gold for Ilia Topuria's brother Aleksandre Topuria (Source: X/IMAGO)

The UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 PPV card at Qudos Bank Arena featured one of the biggest UFC debuts. What Ilia Topuria has managed to achieve in four years with the UFC is nothing short of remarkable. UFC signed older brother Aleksandre Topuria based on those accomplishments and a go-ahead from ‘El Matador.’ Now, bantamweight has its own Topuria who got off to a good start at UFC 312 PPV in Sydney, something that makes divisional king Merab Dvalishvili consider he’s here to stay.

Merab Dvalishvili won the UFC 135-pound undisputed title at last year’s Noche (UFC 306 PPV). ‘Machine’ then comfortably swiped out Umar Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) at the UFC 311 PPV event co-headliner. The Georgian Dvalishvili put on a 10-fight win streak in hopes of cracking gold before he got a shot. He has cleared out the roster almost entirely; Aleksandre Topuria remains the bantamweight new blood.

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If Aleksandre [Topuria] becomes the [top] contender, …I will give up the belt – either I will move to a higher weight class, or I will move to a lower one — We’ll sort it out as friends…

Merab Dvalishvili said in a Georgian press conference (H/T: SLTG blog WRITER, Georgian MMA columnist @SheLovesGloves)

Dvalishvili is kin to the Alicante Georgian brothers. Topuria (6-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated Aussie man Colby Thicknesse

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via unanimous decision at UFC 312 for a moderately good start. Dvalishvili was part of his pre-fight camp and often billed he was the best of the trio, including Ilia Topuria. Despite winning 30-27 on all scorecards at UFC 312, ‘El Conquistador’ didn’t exactly live up to expectations, fair or otherwise.

But Merab Dvalishvili feels he’s the only one who can fill his brother’s big shoes; himself too. On the plus side, he knows the turmoil brass and matchmaking litigation put one through to make the rightful scrap. Dvalishvili and his friend Aljamain Sterling faced the same when he was up-and-coming on a neat streak. He won’t provide the same chance of hassle for Topuria and would gladly relinquish the bantamweight gold.

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Aleksandre Topuria welcomes Colby Thicknesse and his warrior spirit to Spain for training after UFC 312

Aleksandre Topuria recently defeated Thicknesse by UD on the preliminary card of UFC 312 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Topuria stuffed all eight of Thicknesse’s attempted takedowns and answered in an all-around game. As is the new fashion of touting superior grapples or even some wrestling moves, he distanced with a German Suplex like none other.

Aleksandre Topuria weighs in on the competition at UFC 312
Aleksandre Topuria weighs in on the competition at UFC 312 (Source: X)

Brother Ilia Topuria also once used the same move, although angled, in his debut as well. While Aleksandre went on to implement a similar strike-heavy style later, he quipped he had to outdo his brother. Later on, the fighter lauded his rival’s fighting spirit and the competition he gave him.

I think [Thicknesse] deserves [to be in the UFC] … I felt a warrior’s soul in him – very good. Very good. I’m nobody to say this, but I think I have to say it, and I’ll ask if I have a chance to ask somebody – that he deserves a UFC contract…Great fighter, great warrior, respectful – I want to hang out with this guy. In Spain, if he wants to come, he just has to ask for my name and (he’s welcome in) my home.

Aleksandre Topuria during UFC 312 PPV post-fight backstage fighter interviews
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Fighting a division below his brother, Topuria displayed some of the same pacing and attack as his sibling. He even punctuated his first UFC round with a better belly-to-back suplex. Some have billed this will put added pressure to surpass his brother. But it’s not just the striking clinic and paced-out shot offerings that made this exciting.

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The other Topuria’s title foe, Aussie legend Alexander Volknavoski cornered Thicknesse in Sydney. He and Volk are in talks to have a UFC 145-pound title rematch after the Spaniard snagged gold last February. So that put some added tinge of anticipation to this particular matchup. Aleksandre Topuria felt grateful for the whole opposition Aussie camp for making it competitive and a worthwhile fighting promotional debut.

Related: Does Ilia Topuria lose to brother Aleksandre Topuria?