On Sunday, football legend Cristiano Ronaldo clinched his third international trophy, leading his national team to the summit of the UEFA Nations League. The final took place in Munich, where the Portugal legend’s squad went head-to-head with a dominant Spain side that hadn’t lost an away match in their last 10 outings. However, fate had something else in store.
After a thrilling 2-2 draw, the match went into a penalty shootout. Spain’s Álvaro Morata missed a crucial spot kick, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo’s team to seize the moment and lift the trophy. But even amid the victory celebrations, Ronaldo found himself being compared in an entirely different arena—not in football, but in fitness, and not against another footballer, but UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
The comparison had nothing to do with skill and everything to do with endurance—the famed “gas tank.” At UFC 316, Merab Dvalishvili made history by extending his win streak to 13 with a dominant title defense against former champion Sean O’Malley. With this win, ‘The Machine’ joined the exclusive ranks of legends like Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov, becoming only the sixth fighter to reach such a milestone.
That kind of cardio led fans to spark a fascinating debate: Who has the superior stamina—Cristiano Ronaldo or Merab Dvalishvili? The topic came up during a fan Q&A on Coach Firas Zahabi’s YouTube channel. A viewer asked, “Merab versus Cristiano Ronaldo cardio challenge. Who wins?” Zahabi didn’t hesitate in backing the UFC champ, saying,
“I would go with Merab. Okay, that’s from Care. I would tell you Merab would win that… beating Merab is going to be a tall order. Anybody can lose a fight, you know… But this last Saturday, he showed he has improved in striking. I felt he improved his power, his speed, his output. His striking was much better than before, so I was impressed.”
Another fan chimed in, pointing out that football cardio differs from MMA conditioning. Zahabi still stood by his assessment, “That’s from Eric. Eric, I still would put Merab—coach’s honest opinion.”
MMA: UFC 316 – Dvalishvili vs OMalley Jun 7, 2025 Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES Merab Dvalishvili red gloves reacts after defeating Sean OMalley not pictured in a bantamweight title fight during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. Newark Prudential Center New Jersey UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xVincentxCarchiettax 20250606_jhp_cb6_0920
And it’s not hard to see why Zahabi is so confident. Beyond his dominant wrestling, it’s Merab Dvalishvili’s tireless engine that truly sets him apart. Earlier this year, he ended the 18-fight undefeated run of Dagestani phenom Umar Nurmagomedov. While ‘Young Eagle’ looked unbreakable in the early rounds, the Georgian native played it smart—maintaining distance, letting his opponent burn energy, and then unleashing a relentless wrestling assault once the Russian star began to fade.
Dricus Du Plessis weighs in on Merab Dvalishvili’s gas tank at UFC 311
Merab Dvalishvili’s relentless cardio hasn’t just made him a fan favorite—it’s earned him respect across the MMA world, from analysts and veterans to elite fighters. His thrilling victory over Umar Nurmagomedov, cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, further solidified his reputation as one of the most admired athletes on the UFC roster. In the UFC 311 co-main event, ‘The Machine’ found himself trailing after two tough rounds against ‘Young Eagle’.
But staying true to his never-quit style, he mounted a spectacular comeback, dominating the final three rounds with relentless pressure and superior conditioning. That performance didn’t just impress fans—it caught the eye of reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis. As DDP prepared to defend his title against Sean Strickland in Australia back in February, he reflected on Merab Dvalishvili’s grit and gas tank in an interview with Aaron Bronsteter, saying:
“In today’s time, people are so fit where the pressure can be so immense like a guy like Merab. Firstly, that guy’s cardio need to be studied. I don’t know how he does it. It is incredible to see, motivating—in fact, motivating.”
Veteran UFC fighter and coach Matt Serra also sang the Georgian standout’s praises during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, where he highlighted the bantamweight star’s unmatched stamina, “Merab, the thing is with Merab, I’ve never seen — in all my years, I’ve never seen a gas tank like that. I never have.”
With so much hype around Dvalishvili’s cardio, it sparks an intriguing question — could his engine actually outlast that of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo in a head-to-head endurance test? What’s your take? Drop your thoughts below.
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