Overview
- Cormier said many of Dvalishvili’s credited takedowns against Cory Sandhagen were "mat returns," estimating five or six true takedowns out of the 20 recorded.
- UFC statistics list Dvalishvili with 20 takedowns in the five-round win over Sandhagen, a tally Sandhagen mocked as "funny" while arguing they were not decisive wrestling takedowns.
- On ESPN’s Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cormier advocated redefining MMA takedowns so they count when a fighter is first brought to the mat, not on repeated put-downs after stand-ups.
- Cormier pointed to past controversies, citing Khabib Nurmagomedov’s high takedown totals and a disputed sequence in Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington to illustrate inconsistent standards.
- Despite the dispute, Dvalishvili is booked to headline UFC 323 in December against Petr Yan as he pursues a fourth title defense of the year.