Dana White slammed for "over the top" reaction to Merab Dvalishvili's cut by teammate Aljamain Sterling: "Everyone is making a much bigger deal"

Aljamain Sterling recently criticized Dana White after he labeled Merab Dvalishvili "stupid" for revealing his cut on social media just weeks before UFC 306. 'The Machine' is preparing to take on UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley in the highly anticipated pay-per-view event scheduled for Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During a training session leading up to the fight, Dvalishvili suffered a facial laceration and quickly took to social media, posting several videos that showcased the injury's immediate impact.

Check out Merab Dvalishvili's post below:

Fighters typically do not reveal even a minor injury, particularly so close to a fight. This surprising choice by 'The Machine' has sparked significant debate within the MMA community, leading the UFC CEO to openly criticize and question his decision during a recent 'DWCS' post-fight press conference.

Dvalishvili's longtime teammate and friend, Sterling, recently took to X to defend him amid the ongoing controversy. 'Funk Master' downplayed the significance of the cut, stating it was no major issue, but noted that White's comments were somewhat out of line:

"Everyone is making a much bigger deal over 'the little cut,' even the boss. Merab shares his stories of training camp, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and people LOVE him for it. There’s nothing 'stupid' about it, period. He’s training and will show up on Sept. 14, as he always does. Is this about betting lines?? Is it about a fight cancelation?? Respectfully, this reaction was a bit over the top, IMHO."

Check out Aljamain Sterling's post and Dana White's initial comments below:

Sterling is set to face Movsar Evloev in a high-stakes featherweight clash at UFC 307, scheduled for Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Did Aljamain Sterling leave the UFC bantamweight division because of Merab Dvalishvili?

After his title defeat by second-round TKO against Sean O'Malley at UFC 292, Aljamain Sterling announced his decision to leave the bantamweight division and move up to featherweight, citing multiple reasons for the change.

'Funk Master' disclosed in several interviews last year that making the cut to 135 pounds had become increasingly challenging. More importantly, he stepped aside to allow his close friend, Merab Dvalishvili, who is currently riding a 10-fight undefeated streak, to pursue the 135-pound title.