UFC bantamweight star Merab Dvalishvili captured the spotlight at UFC 311 by ending the unbeaten 18-fight streak of Dagestani prodigy Umar Nurmagomedov. This victory not only put an end to Nurmagomedov’s dominance but also took a jab at the pride of Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had long touted the superiority of Dagestani wrestling.
Khabib had remarked, “In the UFC, Umar will soon be the second one…. when it comes to MMA, Dagestan, Russia, we’re on a different level.” Despite the victory, the Georgian’s win came at a significant personal cost.
‘The Machine’ defied expectations and proved the oddsmakers wrong, stepping into the cage as the underdog and emerging victorious. The fight, held at the Intuit Dome, was a significant moment in Dvalishvili’s career. When the judges announced the unanimous decision in Merab Dvalishvili’s favor, the momentum seemed to shift away from Team Khabib. The win marked Dvalishvili’s 12th consecutive victory, cementing his status as a top contender. However, success often comes with sacrifices. As fans were aware, the Georgian entered the fight, nursing a severe injury—a persistent shin wound sustained a month prior.
Despite the slow healing process, Merab Dvalishvili powered through the pain to deliver a standout performance. During the post-fight interview with Megan Olivi, he shared the struggles he faced leading up to and after the fight, revealing the infection in his leg and a “broken back.” Dvalishvili explained, “I don’t have my phone with me, but I’ll maybe post a picture later. Back in November, I got big cuts on my legs, and they just started healing up around Wednesday…The cuts got infected, and every time someone touched me or I was wrestling or kicking, it was really painful.”
Despite the injury, Merab Dvalishvili now takes great satisfaction in accomplishing two significant feats: defending his title against a Dagestani wrestler and proudly representing his home country, Georgia. His achievement earned praise from his close friend and fellow Georgian, the 145-lb king Ilia Topuria. Although not present at the event, Topuria seized the chance to celebrate Merab’s victory while subtly taking a jab at Team Khabib. Let’s take a look at the Georgian-Spaniard’s message.
Ilia Topuria fires shots at ‘Team Khabib’ while praising Merab Dvalishvili
Not long ago, Khabib Nurmagomedov, in an effort to promote his cousin Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov’s upcoming title defense at the Saudi Arabia PFL event against Irish prospect Paul Hughes, sparked a “Dagestan vs. Ireland” controversy. The comment drew backlash from fighters in Ireland, Britain, and the US. To support his claims, Khabib turned to X, stating, “We dominate amateur MMA, and it’s not even close—not just compared to Irish fighters but the whole world.” This ignited a heated back-and-forth, but the controversy eventually seemed to subside.
Now, Ilia Topuria is seizing the moment to throw a jab at Islam Makhachev and his team. On X, Topuria expressed his pride for Merab Dvalishvili, writing, “Merab, my brother, what a fighter you are! You make us so proud. This is what happens when Dagestani wrestling meets Georgian wrestling,” with a Georgia map emoji. In addition, he posted another message challenging Islam Makhachev to a title fight. Whether that fight happens or not, it’s an exciting prospect to ponder on.
How would you rate Merab Dvalishvili’s performance today against Umar Nurmagomedov? Do you think he has shown improvement since his last fight against Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 last year, where many fans and critics described his performance as boring and lackluster?