Why did Merab Dvalishvili refuse to call out Aljamain Sterling? Find out their close relationship 

MMA fans are well aware of the close friendship shared by Merab Dvalishvili and the current bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling. Another example of their brotherhood was on display on March 11 when 'The Machine' refused to call out Sterling for a title fight.

Merab Dvalishvili earned the biggest victory of his MMA career at UFC Fight Night 221. 'The Machine' took on former UFC king Petr Yan and dominated him throughout the five-round fight. The Georgian got his hand raised via unanimous decision with a score of 50-45 by the three judges.

With the victory, Dvalishvili entended his winning streak to 9-0. In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, the Georgian fighter called Sterling his 'brother' and said he intended to fight for the bantamweight title whenever 'Funk Master' decides to vacate it to move up to featherweight.

"Aljo was telling me now, 'Call the belt.' Hey man, he's my brother and he's a real champion. Only me and him knows who's real champion... But whenever he decides [to] go up in weight class... then after, I will fight [for the] title. Of course, I want to be champion and now I prove again... and I'm hungry," said Merab Dvalishvili.

Check out the full post-fight octagon interview below:

On several occasions, the two athletes have declared that they would never fight each other. Sterling has also echoed Dvalishvili's sentiment of moving up to 145-pounds to give 'The Machine' a shot at UFC gold.

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Matt Serra weighs in on the possibility of a fight between Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili

Matt Serra has shut down the possibility of a fight between Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili.

Serra believes that unlike Rashad Evans and Jon Jones, who fought each other despite being teammates, 'Funk Master' and Dvalishvili will never share the octagon and money will not change that.

"This is not Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. Merab is a different breed of guy in the sense where life-changing money, this and that, some guys are happy the way they are. The money's an extra but you're not going to throw something at this guy that's going to change his mind, 'Oh okay, now I'll take Aljo's head off.' It's not going to f***ing happen."

Listen to Matt Serra discuss Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling's friendship below:

Sterling is currently scheduled to fight Henry Cejudo in May. If the 'Funk master' emerges victorious in that encounter, there is a good chance of him moving up to featherweight, leaving the bantamwweight divisiion open for a new champion.