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Outside of being a top-ranked UFC bantamweight contender, Merab Dvalishvili is known for his antics outside the cage. But his most recent stunt is no longer drawing laughs but serious concerns for his well-being. So much so that fans have expressed worries for the 32-year-old Georgian.
Merab Dvalishvili’s recent death-defying stunt draws concern
Merab Dvalishvili made headlines back in 2021 when a video of him jumping into a frozen lake went viral. “The Machine” was supposedly attempting a polar dip and dove head first into a pond. Little did he know that he was jumping into a frozen body of water, which ultimately landed him in the hospital with staples in his head.
That little stunt may have drawn some laughs, but this most recent one isn’t exactly the case. Currently in Italy, Merab decided to climb outside of a high-rise building balcony and onto the ledge. Below is the video of said stunt, and those of you with a bad case of acrophobia can stop right here. Otherwise, enjoy your sweaty palms while watching this.
Fans were left expectedly concerned, which they voiced out on social media.
What’s next for Merab Dvalishvili?
Currently on a nine-fight win streak, Merab Dvalishvili last fought in March against former champion Petry Yan and won via decision. The victory placed him at the number one spot of the UFC bantamweight rankings, making him a frontrunner to challenge Aljamain Sterling for the title.
But given their close friendship as long-time training partners, Merab isn’t entertaining a fight against “Funkmaster.” And that, according to him, has put him in a tough spot with the UFC brass whom he claimed denied him top contender fights.
“Matchmaker Sean Shelby was saying he cannot give me O’Malley fight,” Merab told Ariel Helwani in an MMA Hour appearance. “He cannot give me Chito Vera, he cannot give me Cory Sandhagen, or even Petr Yan.
“Because if I beat them, and then I’m not fighting my friend (for the) title, and I understand business. And I was so sad that (there) was no fight for me.
“Luckily, Petr pushed the fight, and they give me this Petr fight. And I’m happy, and I appreciate it.”
Merab Dvalishvili’s next fight hasn’t been scheduled. For now, his focus is on helping Aljamain Sterling prepare for Henry Cejudo at UFC 288. The event takes place on May 6th in New Jersey.
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