Fabricio Andrade on how he would fight Merab Dvalishvili if they meet one day: "I would not try to beat him by decision"

Beating Merab Dvalishvili requires a specific blueprint, and Brazilian MMA superstar Fabricio Andrade knows exactly what it isn't.

The reigning ONE bantamweight MMA world champion has made no secret of his belief that he could compete with—and defeat—the UFC's dominant 135-pound titleholder if the opportunity ever arose.

But during his interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the 28-year-old Brazilian striker explained why trying to outwork 'The Machine' across five rounds would be tactical suicide.

"You know, I would not try to beat him by decision. That's for sure. You know, if you see that guy, he's just wearing everybody down with his cardio. So you're going to try to have more cardio than him? That's a bit silly, you know," Fabricio Andrade shared.

"So I think it's better to try to finish the fight early, you know, first round, second round, while you still have good energy and you have full power, you know. So you need to be very patient at the beginning of the fight and don't make mistakes, and then catch him with a good shot."

That's fight IQ talking. Dvalishvili has terrorized the UFC bantamweight division in 2025 with three successful title defenses—beating Sean O'Malley, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Cory Sandhagen—and is preparing for a December rematch with Petr Yan.

Watch his full interview with SCMP below:

Andrade returns to action in the main event of ONE Fight Night 38 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, Dec. 5.

'Wonder Boy' puts his ONE bantamweight MMA world title on the line against Mongolian standout and No.4-ranked contender Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu on the world's largest martial arts organization's final American primetime card of the year.

Active Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and for free.

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Fabricio Andrade's analysis is spot on

Dvalishvili's suffocating wrestling, relentless pace, and cardio that never quits have left elite strikers gasping for air by the championship rounds, desperately trying to survive rather than win.

Fabricio Andrade understands the trap, though. You can't beat someone at their best attribute.

Trying to match the Georgian's cardio is like trying to outgrapple a Dagestani wrestler or outkick a Thai—it's playing a game you're destined to lose.

The 34-year-old has built his entire style around drowning opponents in volume, breaking their will through constant pressure, and making them question whether the punishment is worth continuing.

So the Tiger Muay Thai representative's strategy flips the script entirely: end it early or risk getting dragged into deep waters where Dvalishvili thrives.

The approach makes sense for someone carrying an 80 percent finishing rate in his career and six highlight-reel triumphs under the ONE banner alone.

Fabricio Andrade's devastating striking—honed through over 40 victories in combined Muay Thai and kickboxing competition—has left opponents crumpled across the canvas throughout his promotional tenure.

John Lineker got stopped. Kwon Won Il lasted just 42 seconds when that perfectly timed left hook buried into his liver at ONE 170. The South Korean was also knocked out by 'Wonder Boy' in their first fight.