Georgian champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Merab Dvalishvili, announced that he will donate one million GEL to charity. This amount, as Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated, will be given to him as a reward from the state.
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Dvalishvili says that he aims to open jiu-jitsu and wrestling gyms in Georgia, providing young people with the opportunity to train.
"I really did not expect this gift. You know that we are professional athletes; we are not on the balance sheet of the state, federation, or anything else. We achieved all this on our own. Thank you for this gift, of course. I will fully contribute this amount to charity, specifically to the development of Georgian sports and MMA in Georgia," said Dvalishvili.
Today, it was announced that, as per a government decision, Merab Dvalishvili and another Georgian UFC champion, Ilia Topuria, will receive a monetary reward of one million GEL. As Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated, sports success and the victories won for the country deserve proper appreciation.
The 33-year-old Merab Dvalishvili defeated American Sean O'Malley on September 15, becoming the UFC super-lightweight champion. He returned to Georgia yesterday, bringing the championship belt to his homeland.
As for Ilia Topuria, he won the title of champion in the sub-lightweight category in February of this year. The President of Georgia awarded him the Order of Honor for his significant personal contribution to the promotion of mixed martial arts in Georgia and his successful sports achievements.
