Merab Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight title contender, recently trained with Gina Carano at Syndicate MMA. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show on April 29, 2026, Dvalishvili shared his insights on Carano’s preparation for her upcoming bout against Ronda Rousey.
Dvalishvili’s Prediction for Carano vs. Rousey
Dvalishvili expressed his surprise at Carano’s skill level during training sessions that commenced in March. He confidently predicted a victory for her. “I was surprised how good [Gina Carano] is,” Dvalishvili stated. “Ronda Rousey has a judo background, and I also have a judo background. I think Gina Carano will win this fight. It’s gonna make UFC fighters look bad, and she’s gonna make judo also look bad, but I think she’s gonna win.”
He attributed Carano’s impressive performance to her dedicated gym work, noting improvements in her physique and fighting techniques. Carano, who trains at Xtreme Couture, had previously described her sessions with Dvalishvili as “electric.”
Dvalishvili brings a seven-year background in judo and sambo to MMA, while Rousey is an Olympic judo medalist and black belt holder. Carano, with a professional MMA record of 7-1, last fought in 2009, suffering a TKO loss to Cris Cyborg. Rousey, holding a 12-2 MMA record with numerous submissions and knockouts, retired in 2016 and has not competed since.
This highly anticipated fight, which the UFC had considered during Rousey’s championship reign, headlines Most Valuable Promotions’ inaugural MMA event on May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The event will be streamed globally on Netflix, marking the platform’s first foray into live MMA broadcasts. The card also features bouts between Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, as well as Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins.
Dvalishvili, who is preparing for a bantamweight title rematch against Petr Yan following his December 2025 loss, believes Carano’s striking expertise will be the decisive factor against Rousey’s grappling. The matchup, pitting Rousey’s renowned submission skills against Carano’s Muay Thai foundation, is expected to draw significant attention from fans, with Dvalishvili’s endorsement adding further anticipation to the contest.