Jon Anik already sees Merab Dvalishvili as being the msot achieved 135 pound fighter in MMA historical past, over the likes of Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw. The UFC commentator spoke about this on a current episode of MMA Junkie Radio about a number of of the massive subjects heading into UFC 316. This card set to go down on Saturday includes a pair of bantamweight title bouts with Merab Dvalishvili defending his crown agaisnt Sean O’Malley in a rematch. Whereas within the co-main occasion, Julianna Pena defends her 135 pound strap towards Kayla Harrison. When concerning the run of the Georgian athlete throughout the UFC’s bantamweight ranks.
Merab Dvalishvili May be the GOAT
Anik mentioned:
“Fairly historic, I believe. Nicely, it’s really 12 straight wins, and he has already defended the title. I do imagine he already has standing as the best bantamweight of all time. And I say that as a person who—if I bought married this weekend—Dominick Cruz could be a groomsman. He’s one in all my finest pals on this planet. However once I have a look at the physique of labor of Merab Dvalishvili within the fashionable period, he might be 14–0 within the UFC. He misplaced to Frankie Saenz after which had a contentious ending towards Ricky Simon.
With respect to these two guys, it’s been 12 straight wins ever since. And to your level, he left a assassin’s row of champions in his wake earlier than he even fought for the title—beat Henry Cejudo, beat Petr Yan, beat José Aldo. Then he beat Sean O’Malley, defended the title on the challengers’ timeline by beating Umar Nurmagomedov, and now the rematch with Sean O’Malley.
So far as I’m involved—with respect to Aljamain Sterling and my BFF Dominick Cruz—the best bantamweight of all time, not so quietly, is Merab ‘The Machine’ Dvalishvili.”
Jon Anik discusses Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison title bout
Jon Anik additionally touched on the second title conflict that’s set to go down in Newark this weekend. The acclaimed UFC broadcaster spoke of how if Kayla Harrison can usurp Julianna Pena‘s throne, the multi-time Olympic gold medalist has the potential to grow to be the face of girls’s MMA. Jon Anik additionally spoke of some fighters having international star energy however not all the time the home noteriety, in a North American context, however sees Harrison as somebody with an excellent story that may actually propel her into that popular culture zeitgeist of broader consciousness each in America and all over the world.
