![Merab Dvalishvili (left) made a bold declaration (insert) about the aftermath of his fight with Umar Nurmagomedov (right). [Image credit: @ChampsRDS on X, @merab.dvalishvili, @umar_nurmagomedov on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/0e95c-17338801202384-1920.jpg)
![Merab Dvalishvili (left) made a bold declaration (insert) about the aftermath of his fight with Umar Nurmagomedov (right). [Image credit: @ChampsRDS on X, @merab.dvalishvili, @umar_nurmagomedov on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAhUyH/8QAIBAAAgIBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMCBQQABhIHERMywv/aAAgBAQABPwDpPuHFsrZk4ssR48YpT6R4wjBAl86Rl7jKFmVoky4juSkE6//EABgRAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMx/9oACAECAQE/AIsZcP/EABgRAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMS/9oACAEDAQE/ALIrR//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is set to defend his belt for the first time at UFC 311 early next year. Across the cage from him will be No. 2-ranked Nurmagomedov. Things got heated between the two last weekend when they saw each other in person at the UFC 311 press conference.
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While doing some interviews backstage, Dvalishvili saw Nurmagomedov a few meters away and started calling him out. Security had intervened as the champion and challenger seemed ready to trade blows.
When asked during the presser what was the beef all about, 'The Machine' cited the constant online trash-talk by 'Young Eagle' that upset him so. The champion reiterated this in an interview with Ariel Helwani today, saying:
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"He [Nurmagomedov] may get slapped after the fight. Because the fighting [inside the cage] not a real fight, it's a sport. Yeah, if Umar doesn't apologize [to] me, it's going to happen. Even if I have to go to Dagestan, I will go. Hey! I love Dagestan and I've got so many friends in Dagestan and I respect Dagestan people. They are good people. But Umar made a big mistake with me and Umar has to pay for this."
Check out Merab Dvalishvili's comments below:
Merab Dvalishvili on UFC 311 fight with Umar Nurmagomedov: "It's a personal fight"
During the UFC 311 press conference last weekend, the first question asked to Merab Dvalishvili was what the incident backstage with Umar Nurmagomedov was all about. This was when the champion made it known that talking trash to him online would not end well.
When asked if the fight with Nurmagomedov is now "personal", 'The Machine' said:
"Of course, it's personal. Because every time I see him [Nurmagomedov], I give him my respect. I shake his hand. I even [told] him that I'm going to fight him one day. And now he starts [talking] trash online. And real men don't do this, you know. So okay, it's a personal [fight] for me, yeah."
Dvalishvili was once seen physically intimidating an online troll in person, so this tracks with his apparent disdain for speaking ill of someone who is not present. Whether or not this will affect his performance at UFC 311 is yet to be seen.
Check out the UFC 311 Press Conference below:
