Why is UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili’s cardio unmatched? One fighter’s theory is interesting

Cory Sandhagen has an interesting theory as to why UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili’s gas tank is unmatched.

Dvalishvili, who’s affectionately known as “The Machine,” put his impressive cardio on display again this past Saturday at UFC 311 where he outpaced Umar Nurmagomedov for a unanimous decision by taking over the championship rounds.

Dvalishvili was very emotional in the lead-up to his fight against Nurmagomedov, with many warning him about the amount of energy he was expending. However, Sandhagen thinks Dvalishvili’s emotional outbursts actually have a positive effect on his performances.

“Obviously the decider in this fight was Merab’s conditioning,” Sandhagen said on his YouTube channel. “I know the answer to it. I’m almost certain that this is what it is: It’s that Merab – just because of the nature of who he is, the yelling that he does throughout the day, I think is what does it for him.

“Merab is always yelling. He’s always yelling at someone. He’s always yelling at fans, he’s always doing something that’s working those lungs of his. So, I think that’s what it is. That gives Merab this amazing conditioning.”

Sandhagen could be on to something.

According to the National Library of Medicine, “yelling promotes maximal muscular power and exerts a significant effect on the intensity of cardiorespiratory responses.”

Although Dvalishvili’s win over Nurmagomedov was his first successful bantamweight title defense, it was his 12th consecutive win dating back to 2018. Throughout his streak, Dvalishvili has used his masterful wrestling to push a relentless pace, which has proven difficult for his opponents to keep up with.