Merab Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling has elevated him to the ranks of the sport’s all-time greats, and one of its giants took notice. Georges St-Pierre, a UFC Hall of Famer and widely considered one of the most dominant wrestlers in MMA history, recently met the bantamweight champion at UFC Vegas 104. The two had a moment cage-side, marking their first encounter in a UFC arena. While fans speculated on what the two could have talked about, St-Pierre later broke his silence on the meeting. So, what did he have to say?

As Merab Dvalishvili sat cageside to support his countryman Roman Dolidze in the night’s main event, he came face to face with St. Pierre. The moment didn’t go unnoticed, and St-Pierre later expressed his admiration. “I just bumped into the best takedown artist, bantamweight UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC Fight Night,” St-Pierre wrote on X. With that simple yet powerful statement, the Canadian veteran appeared to pass the mantle, acknowledging Dvalishvili’s dominance in an area he previously ruled.

It is worth noting that ‘The Machine’ recently broke one of St-Pierre’s long-held records at UFC 311, cementing his place in history. The Georgian standout surpassed St-Pierre as the UFC’s all-time takedown leader, scoring his 91st career takedown during his successful title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov. The feat was surely a testament to his relentless pressure, which has dominated elite opponents, including Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. St-Pierre’s record of 90 takedowns originally appeared unbeatable, but Dvalishvili’s unmatched work rate has now definitely set a new benchmark.

Dvalishvili, who is on a solid winning streak and holds the bantamweight title, shows no signs of slowing down. His victory over Nurmagomedov not only cemented his position as the division’s kingpin but also catapulted him into pound-for-pound discussions. While ‘GSP’ still retains the all-time welterweight takedown record, his recognition of ‘The Machine’ marks a shift in UFC history. As Dvalishvili’s career progresses, he has the ability to extend the takedown record further, establishing a record that could be unbroken for years to come. However, despite proving that he is one of the greatest wrestlers in the UFC, there is one man that even Merab Dvalishvili fears when it comes to wrestling.

Merab Dvalishvili reveals the opponent that even he fears to face

Merab Dvalishvili has built a reputation as one of the most relentless wrestlers in UFC history. With a record-breaking number of takedowns and a suffocating pace that has outclassed elite competition, it’s difficult to imagine the bantamweight champion fearing anyone on the mat. However, even ‘The Machine’ admits that certain wrestlers are simply on another level. When it comes to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, ‘The Machine’ is definitely not interested in going face-to-face against Gordon Ryan.

During a recent interview on Mike Perry’s ‘Overdogs’ podcast, Dvalishvili was asked if he had ever wrestled Gordon Ryan. The question alone caused the Georgian to hesitate. “No, brother. “He’s really…” Merab Dvalishvili trailed off, fully aware of Ryan’s abilities. Perry, who had experienced Ryan’s dominance firsthand, finished the thought for him. “Oh yeah, I know, he strangled me with one arm.” With that, the bantamweight champion made it obvious that he had no desire to roll with Gordon Ryan, let alone compete against him. “I never grappled with him, and I don’t want to try. He’s so much better than me,” Dvalishvili said.

And who would blame him? Gordon Ryan is largely considered the greatest BJJ competitor of all time. His accomplishments are unrivaled, including seven ADCC championships, three IBJJF world titles, and four Eddie Bravo Invitational wins. Not only is he technically superior to Merab Dvalishvili in pure grappling, but he also weighs 222 pounds, over 90 pounds more than the bantamweight champion. While ‘The Machine’ could probably hold his own against most fighters in an MMA match, he recognizes that in Ryan’s world, size and technique pose a monumental obstacle. For the time being, Dvalishvili’s main priority is choosing who his next opponent will be inside the Octagon. But what do you think? Who would win a BJJ match between Merab Dvalishvili and Gordon Ryan? Let us know in the comments.