Merab Dvalishvili’s Pre-Fight Routine Will Make You Question Everything You Know About MMA Preparation
If you think you’ve seen hardcore training regimens, think again. Khalil Rountree recently revealed an almost unbelievable detail about bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili’s preparation hours before his UFC 320 title defense—and it’s the kind of story that redefines what ‘next-level dedication’ looks like.
Both Rountree and Dvalishvili train under the same head coach, John Wood, who cornered them at UFC 320. While Dvalishvili successfully defended his bantamweight belt against Cory Sandhagen, Rountree suffered a brutal third-round knockout loss to Jiri Prochazka. But what happened behind the scenes before Dvalishvili’s fight left Rountree in absolute awe.
Here’s the jaw-dropping part most fighters wouldn’t dare attempt: On the day of his title defense, at noon—just hours before stepping into the Octagon—Dvalishvili sparred five full rounds in the cage. Yes, you read that right. Live, intense sparring on fight day.
“Merab in the gym is no different from Merab in the cage,” Rountree said on the JAXXON Podcast (https://youtu.be/MmxQl7krFHw?si=LzfqTYKSsJjxBEMk). “This is 100% true—on fight day, October 4, at 12 PM, he went five hard rounds. Because that’s just who he is.”
Dvalishvili is already legendary for his endless cardio, elite wrestling, and rapidly evolving striking—traits that have cemented him as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters today (https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/448740/mma-pound-for-pound-rankings-alex-pereira-merab-dvalishvili-make-big-moves-after-ufc-320-triumphs). Against Sandhagen, he nearly finished the fight in the second round before dominating the decision. But here’s the controversial question: Is this level of pre-fight sparring reckless or revolutionary? Most athletes conserve energy before a bout—some might even call this overtraining. Yet for Dvalishvili, it’s just another day.
“Five full live rounds at noon, mere hours before the biggest fight of his career?” Rountree marveled. “You can’t make this up. Most fighters are resting, mentally preparing, or maybe doing a light bike ride. But sparring full rounds on fight day? Then going five more with Sandhagen? That’s a different breed.”
As for Rountree’s own fight, he faced a different challenge against Jiri Prochazka. He controlled the first two rounds with crisp striking, but Prochazka—known for his chaotic ‘berserker mode’—overwhelmed him in the third. Rountree has been vocal about not wanting a repeat of his brutal war with Alex Pereira, who left him severely injured (https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/11/4/24287909/khalil-rountree-jr-shares-photo-update-of-facial-injuries-from-ufc-307-battle-with-alex-pereira).
Reflecting on Prochazka’s sudden surge, Rountree speculated: “I didn’t ask for this kind of fight. I knew it could happen, but it wasn’t my plan. Prochazka ate big shots, had moments of doubt—but maybe he had to dig deep, go to a dark place to land that fight-ending hook. That’s just my guess, though. I wasn’t in his head.”
Now, here’s where we open the debate: Is Dvalishvili’s insane pre-fight routine a blueprint for champions or a risky gamble? Should more fighters push limits like this, or is it an exception only he can pull off? Drop your thoughts below—agree or disagree, this is one discussion every MMA fan should weigh in on.
