Why is MMA Twitter lauding Merab Dvalishvili? His act of loyalty for Aljamain Sterling at UFC San Antonio has people talking

UFC bantamweight fighter Merab Dvalishvili has been receiving high praise on Twitter for his act of loyalty towards his close friend and teammate Aljamain Sterling during the recent UFC San Antonio event.

Dvalishvili and Sterling share a close friendship, and both fighters have repeatedly stated that they would never face each other. Sterling has even expressed his willingness to move up a weight class to avoid any possibility of facing the Georgian-born fighter in the Octagon.

This bond was put to the test when a fan provoked Dvalishvili with comments about him fighting Sterling for the bantamweight championship belt. Dvalishvili's reaction was swift as he attempted to climb up the railing to confront the fan, but was stopped by security.

MMA fans were quick to laud Dvalishvili's act of loyalty towards his friend on Twitter. Journalists Chamatkar Sandhu and Ariel Helwani, retweeted the video, calling Dvalishvili a true friend and a loyal teammate.

Sharing the clip on his Twitter account, Sandhu wrote:

"Merab the type of guy to give you the shirt off his back 💯"

Ariel Helwani also took to his official handle and praised the fighter's loyalty as he wrote:

"Everyone needs a friend as loyal as Merab."

Popular Netflix series Breaking Bad's actor Daniel Moncada, commenting on the incident, wrote:

"Merab is a G 🪓💀"

Check out the MMA fans' reactions to the Merab Dvalishvili's reaction below:

One of the fans, however, suggested that it is only a matter of time, and that the friendship is bound to breakup:

"As we’ve seen in this sport they all break. It’s just a matter of time. If you’re not first you’re last."

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What is in for Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC's bantamweight division?

Merab Dvalishvili finds himself in a unique position in the division. The fighter is a close friend and long-time training partner of the current reigning champion in the 135-pound category, Aljamain Sterling.

Dvalishvili has repeatedly stated that he would never fight Sterling, creating a tricky situation for his career prospects.

As Sterling looks to defend his title for the third time against Henry Cejudo on May 6 at the UFC 288 main event in New Jersey, the division's no.1 ranked contender must chart his next move. The fighter plans to continue taking on top bantamweight contenders until Sterling potentially moves up to the featherweight category. However, it is unclear when this shift will happen, as Sterling is expected to defend his title a few more times.

In the meantime, the 32-year-old could match up against the winner of other top prospects like Cory Sandhagen or the winner of the upcoming bout between Rob Font and Adrian Yanez at UFC 287.

Despite being in a challenging position due to his close ties with the champion, Merab Dvalishvili remains a formidable fighter with a bright future in the UFC. Fans will eagerly await his next move and potential matchups in the division.