Merab Dvalishvili has shared how his fearless personality nearly cost him his life as a child.
The bantamweight champion is set to defend his title against Cory Sandhagen on October 4 at UFC 320 in Las Vegas. Known for his relentless style inside the Octagon and his wild antics outside of it, Dvalishvili recalled a terrifying moment from his childhood during an interview with Daniel Cormier.
“When I was six years old, my brother was swimming in a river, and I jumped in to find him,” Dvalishvili said. “I couldn’t swim like him. The water was fast, it took me to the deep, and I was under. I grabbed a big rock underwater and just hugged it. I couldn’t scream. My other brother saw me, and soon after, I learned how to swim.”
The Georgian star said he was fortunate to escape the ordeal unharmed, later turning the frightening memory into a lesson in resilience.
Now preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career, Dvalishvili has promised fans a trademark high-energy performance and delivered a confident warning to Sandhagen ahead of their title clash.
