Legendary MMA coach Ray Longo, who has educated a complete of 4 UFC champions, was recent off one other historic second as his newest protégé, Merab Dvalishvili, efficiently defended his bantamweight title in opposition to Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 final Saturday.
Throughout his commonly scheduled look on the Anik and Florian podcast—hosted by UFC commentator Jon Anik and former three-division contender Kenny Florian. Longo recapped what he referred to as a “wild weekend.” He cornered the reigning champion to victory, then attended former champion Aljamain Sterling’s marriage ceremony the very subsequent day.
“Merab Dvalishvili—it’s superb what this man has achieved,” Longo stated. “It’s loopy to suppose there have been individuals who as soon as advised me he wasn’t the best bantamweight of all time. This man is carving out Mount Rushmore-level area.”
Anik congratulated Longo on the achievement, saying, “Congratulations on the third title protection—all of them in 2025.”
“Congrats to Merab,” the ever-humble Longo replied. “He’s a machine, and he’s earned each letter of that nickname. I don’t even know the way he does it—on the afterparty at six within the morning, the man’s leaping round like a lunatic. At Aljo’s marriage ceremony, he advised me he slept an hour.”
Merab Is the storm
“I feel he appeared nice within the first spherical—even after he was virtually knocked out, he got here again.” Longo stated concerning Corey. “It was a pleasant, aggressive combat. One man is simply relentless and doesn’t cease. He’s beginning to combine it up extra and add new threats, which is basically scary.”
Longo continued to reward Merab: “He is perhaps having probably the most enjoyable in that Octagon out of anybody we’ve ever seen. That’s the important thing, to me.”
Kenny Florian adopted with a poetic response: “Destiny whispers to Merab Dvalishvili, ‘You’ll be able to’t face up to the storm,’ and Merab is the storm.”
