Could Merab convince Dana to let him move up and challenge Topuria?

[clackers]

OP just can’t take an L.

Merab and Ilia are tight. Merab literally refers to it as a brotherhood. Anyone who follows MMA enough to post on these boards knows that Merab doesn’t fight his friends. No matter what. They are never fighting. The end.

Agreed they want success for each other and are genuinely happy for each other when they win there fights.

Topuria wants to go up in weight as well.

 

[Chayanne]

if the USA UFC fighters didn't want to fight each other, there wouldn't be a UFC. Luckily they don't have any issues and realize that it's work and nothing else.

 

[nostradumbass]

Yeah Umar was piecing him up in rounds 1-2, but there’s no indication he would win a rematch unless he significantly improves his cardio.

Sure there is, he nearly did yesterday with a shorter training camp and breaking his hand early in the fight. He rocked him, took him down and got his back, and certainly has the ability to finish or to just win the first 3 knowing that Merab can't finish or get a 10-8 no matter how tired he is in 4 and 5.

 

[prime_lobov]

Sure there is, he nearly did yesterday with a shorter training camp and breaking his hand early in the fight. He rocked him, took him down and got his back, and certainly has the ability to finish or to just win the first 3 knowing that Merab can't finish or get a 10-8 no matter how tired he is in 4 and 5.

Maybe, I mean Merab is probably near the tail end of his prime and his chin will eventually fail him. Umar is still young and who knows when they’ll fight again.

 

[prime_lobov]

Agreed they want success for each other and are genuinely happy for each other when they win there fights.

Topuria wants to go up in weight as well.

With Aljo they were in the same division, both training at Longo’s. The Ilia thing feels like a stretch when there’s a superfight with the possibility of becoming double champ, and the connection is that Ilia was born in the same country.

 

[HP_Nut]

With Aljo they were in the same division, both training at Longo’s. The Ilia thing feels like a stretch when there’s a superfight with the possibility of becoming double champ, and the connection is that Ilia was born in the same country.

Merab and Ilia constantly refer to each other as brothers. They were good friends even before the UFC. Unlike some other supposed friendships that were actually 1 sided, the feelings between the 2 are mutual