Merab Dvalishvili, UFC 320 media day interview

LAS VEGAS – Merab Dvalishvili is out to prove something for himself at UFC 320.

The UFC bantamweight champion is on a dominant 13-fight run behind his effective grappling game paired with an endless gas tank. Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) hunts for his third title defense against Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event of UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. For this fight, he wants to prove he can end things on the feet with his hands, which is something he hasn't done during his entire UFC run.

Between the two, Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) is the better striker. However, Dvalishvili's desire to land a knockout shot isn't about proving he can beat the challenger at his own game.

"No, that's not my point and that's not my goal," Dvalishvili said during Wednesday's media day. "So, we're going to start fighting in standing, striking, and most of the time, our fight would be striking. Even Cory Sandhagen is saying he's trying to take me down, and of course I'm going to get up. We know if I take Cory Sandhagen down, he would get up. So, that's what I'm saying, that most of the time, maybe the fight will be striking.

"In striking, I'm getting better. I look really good, sharp, and I can knock him out. It's a fight, of course, I will fight wherever fight will go. That's my goal to knock him out striking. That's just – that would be nice for me. It's a fight. It's MMA fight. I'm not promising nothing."

Dvalishvili explained that this fight camp was about improving his own game and not so much focusing on what Sandhagen will bring to the cage. As such, he says his striking has developed greatly, and it would be a validation of his own hard work, rather than proving something against Sandhagen.

But things can change.

"Today's plan is this, to strike him and knock him out, but maybe plan change tomorrow, and maybe I go to original plan for striking and knock him out again," Dvalishvili said. "That's how it works."

Whichever plan "The Machine" decides to roll with on fight night, he knows Sandhagen will be a tough opponent to crack. Dvalishvili, who has shared the cage with former champions such as Sean O'Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and Jose Aldo, sees Sandhagen as his most challenging yet.

"Yes, absolutely (the toughest challenge)," Dvalishvili said. "Cory Sandhagen has a dangerous game, like flying knee, spinning kick, submission attack, good cardio. He escapes takedowns and he's getting up easy, quick. A lot of experience, but he's fighting me – an even better version this time. Of course, also as same time, it's a new oppoennt, new date. We all know that one punch, one submission can change everything.

"I recognize all the danger from Cory Sandhagen, but same time, I'm gonna do what I was training for and it's gonna be a good night for me, I believe that."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Merab Dvalishvili wants KO at UFC 320, but not to beat Cory Sandhagen at his game

Reporting by Matthew Wells and Ken Hathaway, MMA Junkie / MMA Junkie

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