"The size difference is crazy" - Fans react as Merab Dvalishvili tests himself against Olympic powerhouse Gable Steveson in beach grappling session

UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili tested his grappling skills against former Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in a fun encounter on the beach. Dvalishvili's act got much attention on social media, evoking reactions from fans.

During a recent promo shoot for a brand, Dvalishvili had the opportunity to meet Steveson and test himself against the Olympic gold medalist in a lighthearted exchange.

Championship Rounds reshared the fun grappling encounter on X, resulting in several MMA enthusiasts rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts.

Check out the video below (via @ChampRDS on X):

One fan laughed and highlighted the size difference between the two, commenting:

“The size difference is crazy 🤣.”

Another fan suggested that Steveson held back, trying not to injure the bantamweight kingpin, writing:

“Crazy size difference. Stevenson is holding back hard, he doesn't want to injure Merab.”

One X user added:

“That's Awesome!!.”

Another fan commented:

“Dude's an animal I wonder how he'd do in MMA.”

Check out more fan reactions below:

Fan reactions. [Screenshots courtesy: @ChampRDS on X]

As for his MMA career, in his most recent UFC outing, Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. The five-round back-and-forth affair went the distance, and ‘The Machine’ secured a unanimous decision victory.

Dvalishvili's next challenge could be a rematch with Sean O'Malley, as both fighters have expressed interest in the matchup. UFC CEO Dana White also hinted at the possibility during a press conference.

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Merab Dvalishvili’s coach breaks down potential rematch with Sean O’Malley

Speaking on Sportskeeda MMA, Merab Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood, shared his prediction for ‘The Machine's’ potential rematch with Sean O'Malley.

Wood expressed confidence in the Georgian fighter, claiming that he would finish O'Malley, while emphasizing how rapidly Dvalishvili is improving with each fight.

"Honestly, I think Merab finishes him in a rematch. I really do. I think that it's a two-sided sword where O'Malley's been in there with Merab. He's going to go back to the drawing board and figure out what he felt in there, try to work on it, try to get better, and try to stop those things."

He continued:

"Rematches are always tricky. Merab had the element of surprise when you get in there; you've never been in there with somebody like that. Now he has, so I expect him and Tim [Welch] to come up with some game plan that would potentially shut some of the things down. But again, Merab is getting so much better at such a fast pace that I think no matter what goes on in there, he's going to be prepared."

Check out John Wood’s comments below (8:48):