Transcript of "No Time For Jokes, I'm Training" l Michael Bisping talks to Merab Dvalishvili about UFC 311

Earlier today, I was able to sit down with the machine, Marabdha Vallishvili. Paul was out there doing a thousand miles on a bike, so I had to do this on my own. Where are you? The PI?

Yes, the UFC PI.

You're at the UFC PI. Let me ask you, this time getting into the PI, was there any issues?

No issue this time.

What about Umar? Was Umar around?

I think now he's here morning, and I guess I'm allowed to come after, too, I guess.

You looked pretty pissed off in that video when I saw it.

Yeah, I was mad because he disrespect me in Twitter, which is I don't deserve it from him because I know him in person and I always show him respect, and I always have a nice conversation with him. I understand, of course, he wants to fight for the belt, but to disrespect me like that, they call me fake champion and make some... He makes some... What's it called? Expression. Then he say it's a Georgian expression, which is not Georgian expression. You mentioned my country and they call me fake champion, which is I don't deserve it. And I was mad. And when I see him, I ask him, why you disrespect me? He say, because I want. But in press conference, he lie. He said, I never disrespect you. And I was But now I move on, Mike, and I'm just focusing for the fight and the life is good. I'm grateful for everything, and I'm going to show up January 18, and you guys are going to see a good fight.

Oh, we can't wait, Murab. We cannot wait. There's one thing you are not, brother, and that is a fake champion. You went out there, you beat Sean O'Malley, fair and square. You gave him a few kisses on the shoulder for good measure. Talk to me about that whole experience before we talk about Umar. I mean, fighting at the sphere, becoming champion. I mean, what a night.

Thank you, sir. Yeah, it was a great night for me, and I was focused for fight. It was easy, actually, for me. I was just doing smart work, and I was able to win the belt. I was so happy because I earned it. Nobody give it to me nothing, and I deserve it. That was a great experience. I always will be grateful. Life is good. Now I'm hungry, I'm motivated, and I want to keep going. I'm coming back. It's going to be a little bit short now Just non-national, whatever it is. I'm coming back quick turn around and ready to go again.

It's quite the journey, Marab, because you were on Dana White looking for a fight. They signed you then, and now here you are, all these years later, champion of the world. You take out Sean O'Malley, who I'm a big fan of Sean. I think he's an incredible fighter. Of course, you shut him down, you use the game plan to a T, use that wrestling that you're known for. Against Primorna Maga, Madoff, what fight are you expecting? I mean, does anything change for you? Do you just go out there and use the Georgian wrestling, the Georgian power? Show us the machine, or are we going to see something different?

Exactly. Exactly. I'm going to show Georgian wrestling and Georgian toughness. I'm going to break the guy. It's going to be a great fight. Umar is a good fighter, but usually when I fight against good fighter and against tough fighter, I always show up. As long as I'm healthy, I'm good and I'll be fine. It's going to be a great fight. I'm not accepting any easy fights from Umar as a fighter. I I always respect him and I always know that he's a good fighter. And I'm excited to fight a good fighter like Umar. He's on the field and I'm going to change his record.

Obviously, as you say, he's undefeated. He comes from a great team, a great lineage, if you will. Why do you think he's getting personal? It seems a little bit out of character for him. Why do you think he's on the attack and being a bit disrespectful to you?

I have no idea. He should not do that because, like I said, we have to be men first and we have to be... I don't did anything disrespectful to him. I don't know why he was doing that, but it's a mistake for him. Like I said, he respects... No, he lost... In my eyes, I don't give him any more respect as a man. But as a fighter, like I said, he's a good fighter and I'm excited to fight him. So it's going to be a great fight.

When I look at your style and I look at his style, he's a good wrestler, you're a good wrestler. A lot of the time in the UFC, when two wrest fight each other, a lot of the time they cancel each other out and the fight ends up on the feet. Is that a Is there a scenario that you think might come true or you don't think about that?

Maybe, maybe, maybe. Because you're right. I'm ready for striking. I'm really trying I'm not going to look for take him down control, like lay on top like O'Malley. I'm going to punch his face, kick his legs, and keep in the feet. And I'm going to show good fight. It's going to be great fight. Even it's going to be a lot of scrapping, a lot of exchanges, lots of... I believe it's going to be maybe fight of the night or something good fight.

Yeah, and it's a great fight card from top to bottom. So congratulations on everything, Marabi. You get to fight in Los Angeles at the brand new arena, the Intuit dorm. It costs like $2 billion. Have you seen that place?

No, of course not. I heard it's a great arena and I'm excited.

My son went there recently to watch a basketball game. He said, It's unbelievable. The technology is out of this world. So enjoy, but Enjoy, enjoy. I'm not going to be there. Sadly, I won't be there. But you are Georgian. You are the champion of the world. There's now two Georgian champs. We saw a video of you going back to Georgia when you became the champion and the response that you I got from your people. That was beautiful, Marab. It was amazing to see.

Thank you. I appreciate you, Mike. It was a really crazy experience for me because I am the same guy. When I left my country and I have a big goal to fighting big, big, big organization like UFC. But even I'm in UFC, I'm still hungry. I'm still going forward. I'm still learning. I'm still I think that I have to learn more and I have to get better. But when I win the belt and I go to my country, I was shocked at how people were so happy, excited for me. I see them, I still love and support and happy. I was shocked, even me, standing this little guy on top of the bus. And then, looking, all these people came out from me outside and waiting for me. I was crazy. I wish this I can feel everyone. This is just crazy moment. No, that is.

Yeah, that's crazy, man. It's crazy. When we start this journey as being a fighter, we never expect stuff like that. We're just trying to make some money. We're trying to do whatever we can with the skills that God gave us, so to speak. You never expect that you're going to be standing on top of a bloody bus and there's hundreds of people just going crazy for you. I mean, you deserve it, Omarab. You've been very quiet on the social media front for this one. No Normally you're out there, you're talking a little bit of shit, you're doing these skits, you have the Sean O'Malley in the car and the party going on and everything. Why have you been so quiet this time?

I'm extra focused for my next fight. And also, Omar, he don't It's just there to me make fun of him. I'm not going to joke with him. It's serious. It's a serious battle. I don't have time for joke now. I'm really training hard and It's going to be good fight. I don't think I have to... First, I don't want this fight because I'm like, How I'm going to make fun of him? How I'm going to joke with him. He's from different worlds. He doesn't understand, and especially, he disrespect me now. But I don't think we have to promote this fight. I don't have to promote this fight. I'm a champion now. He has to promote this fight if he but not disrespect me and call me the fake champion. We are fighting common, but I think most fans are excited. No, I think fans are excited to our fight most, I think.

Yeah, no, absolutely. Those top three fights, they're all ridiculous. It really is a great event. Marab, do you think Umar is the toughest fight for you in the division? And once you get through Umar, then that's just it. You're going to have a field day and just destroy everybody.

No, I won't say that because... No, I won't say this because Bautista, he has a seven-fight win streak now, and he's good contender also. We don't know. Yes, I did beat Peter, but rematch will be interesting. Now, O'Mahly will have a different game plan. He landed me Two Punch or something. I felt that he can really knock people out and he has a really power strong. He hits really hard. Then next fight will be next challenge. There is guys that are coming up. I know there is guys in top 15. I just don't really remember their names, but I think number 15 and number 14, the guys, they are really good. They have long win strict also. I'm excited. I just want to be busy now. I was thinking, Mike, too, maybe I will become champion and I will fight every six months. But it's not like this. It's just so much pressure. I This, then now I realize no more vacation, nothing. I'm just going to be focused for a fight and I'm just going to be... I'm just going to keep fighting because I was going to do...

But didn't you say you want three fights in six months?

I I do. Yes.

Yeah, that's crazy. And would one of those be Sean O'Malley? He wants a rematch, of course. You're happy to give him a rematch?

Yes, absolutely. Because first I have to focus on my fight and I'm going to, God willing, I'm going to win this fight. So I wanted to fight in March. No. Actually, after my fight, I want to take five months or maximum six months. So the five months was in February and six months was in April. Sorry. So five months was from my fight in February and six months was in March. When I say this, Umar, of course, disrespect me in Twitter. And he said, Mirab, February fight is in Alshalia and I'm not fighting there. And March is Ramadan. And I had no idea when was the Ramadan because Ramadan was in May last year. I'm a Christian, so I don't know when was the Ramadan. It's not my problem. So I'm a champion. And Balal Muhammad fighting in Ramadan. And I had no idea, but he disrespect me. Ideally, I wanted to fight in March because fight is in Vegas, and I would love to fight here. There. Now, if O'Malley not will be ready for March, I will fight Peterian March. I know Omali said he will be ready for April, and April fight is in Miami.

Omali said he's on the period in Miami, he's on the period in rematches, and let's go. I give him a chance, and I'm excited, too. Like I said, you had rematch, and Kamara Usman had rematch. So not always go It's the first time.

Yeah, of course. So you're saying, though, because you are the champion, you get to call the shots. But this guy wanted to fight a little bit later, but you're like, You know what? You've pissed me off. I'll do it. I'll do it short notice and we'll fight in January because you want to settle a score.

No, you have to need me, and I step up and I said, no problem. I'm grateful for UFC and no problem. For me, the best option was a fight in February or March because I was dealing with some injuries and Also, Aljo had fight in December, and it was short time from December to January. It's only almost one month to preparation. I wasn't focused. I don't have camp. But Umar, no. Umar was training for SongiDong, and he ended up not fighting him, and he ended up fighting for the belt now. And so here we are. It's all good.

It's all good. It's all good when you're the champion of the world, Marab. Congratulations on everything, brother. What's the best thing that's happened since you're the champion, other than the people of Georgia losing their mind and celebrating? What's the most mind-blowing thing that's happened to you since you were the champ?

For me, most important is people like you, former champions, the UFC fighters, give me respect. And for me, that's the best because I've been experienced everything last couple of years. I see people and I see supporters, I see haters, everything else. But the real people like you are and give me respect and show me allow and support, that's most important for me. And I'm grateful and I'm so happy and I can die happy tomorrow. I'm good.

Yeah, I'm going to let you go. I haven't got another question, but that's a really interesting answer, because I remember as well when I was coming up, when a lot of people, when they talk shit and you hear it and you see it online and you don't feel respected by the people that are doing the same profession as you. We call it our peers. When our peers don't respect us, it's annoying. But now you're the champion of the world. You did that fair and square. And one of the best things is that you now feel that you're getting the respect that you deserve. It's beautiful. It's beautiful, man. It's beautiful. Go out there. Have a great fight. Thank you for your time. Ufc 311, Marabh, the machine, the Valesjvili, Georgia's finest. He's going to get it done. Let's go, brother. Thank you very much.

Thank you so much, sir.

My man, my man. Take care. Thanks, Marab. And there he is, the one and only, Machine, who defends the belt for the first time next week.