"Soon we're going to see his debut" - Merab Dvalishvili hails Ilia Topuria's brother as "sixth Georgian in UFC," teases octagon debut
With the likes of Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, and Giga Chikadze, there is no shortage of Georgian talent in the UFC. Dvalishvili seems convinced that it won't be long before 'El Matador's' brother Alexsandre joins the ranks of the world's premier MMA promotion as its sixth Georgian fighter.
In footage posted by Setanta Sports's Giorgi Kokiashvili on X, 'The Machine' can be seen hyping up his fellow countryman when the pair met at the UFC Performance Institute:
"Alex Topuria, [the] sixth Georgian in the UFC. Soon we are going to see his debut in the UFC, so I can't wait. Come here with us, come to my home in Las Vegas and [we'll] train together, crush each other's heads."
Watch Merab Dvalishvili's hype up Ilia Topuria's brother below:
The Georgian-Spaniard is 5-1 as a professional mixed martial artist. He is currently on a three-fight win streak, with his latest win coming in a first-round TKO over Johan Segas at Way of Warrior's 9.
While he has yet to land a UFC contract, his younger sibling is on a dream run at the organization. 'El Matador' is scheduled to challenge for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title on Feb. 17 at UFC 298 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski betting odds
With UFC 298 headlined by the featherweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski a little over a week out, let's take a look at how the oddsmakers see the fight unfolding.
In November 2023, Fight Odds had pegged Volkanovski as a -192 favorite over 'El Matador' (+160 underdog).
However, the money lines have shifted significantly since then, with the fight now seen as a very close affair. According to the UFC's official website, the Australian champion is now given a -112 odds to win, with his opponent close behind at -108.
Per the current odds, a $100 bet in favor of 'The Great' will provide a return of $189.29, while the same wager on the challenger will provide a payout of $192.59 if Topuria gets his hand raised.
Per a report by the Independent, fight fans in the UK can catch the event live on TNT Sports, while in the US, fans can get the pay-per-view on ESPN +. UFC Fight Pass will also stream the preliminary bouts.