Merab Dvalishvili Calls Umar Nurmagomedov a “Spoiled Baby,” Shares Secret Behind Petr Yan Fight

In early 2025, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov fought in UFC 311, a fought won by the former by unanimous decision after 25 minutes of action. The rivalry between the two of them still has yet to cool, however. 

Merab Dvalishvili Goes Scorched Earth on Umar Nurmagomedov

The rivalry between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov has only grown nastier since their title fight at UFC 311. Dvalishvili handed the Dagestani standout the first loss of his professional career with a unanimous decision victory, successfully defending the bantamweight title. 

Instead of settling the score, the fight sparked months of public back-and-forth. Nurmagomedov later claimed a broken hand suffered early in the contest prevented him from executing his game plan. 

“The Machine,” meanwhile, repeatedly argued that the 30-year-old had not earned a title shot in the first place, insisting the challenger benefited from the Nurmagomedov surname and his association with former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Those feelings resurfaced during a recent lie detector test. Asked whether there is a fighter he genuinely cannot stand, Dvalishvili (21-5-0) did not hesitate, saying, "Yeah, there is a fighter. I hate him. He is a little spoiled baby." Moments later, he was asked if there was someone in the UFC he never wants to see again, to which he said, "It's the same guy."

Although he never identified the fighter, the answer immediately fueled speculation online, with fans overwhelmingly believing he was referring to Nurmagomedov.

Intense Rivalry Boils Over to Real American Freestyle

The hostility between the two has spilled beyond interviews. Earlier this month at the Real American Freestyle (RAF) event in Georgia, tensions escalated when Dvalishvili confronted one of Nurmagomedov's associates after exchanging words during a press event. 

The heated encounter ended with the Georgian slapping the man before security intervened, adding another chapter to one of the UFC's most personal rivalries.

For now, however, another meeting between the pair appears to be on hold. As for Nurmagomedov, he is scheduled to face Song Yadong, while Dvalishvili prepares for a trilogy bout with current bantamweight champion Petr Yan.

Dvalishvili Reveals he Entered Petr Yan Fight With a Knee Injury

While his comments on Nurmagomedov grabbed headlines, the 35-year-old also made a revealing admission about the adversity he overcame during his championship run. During the same lie-detector segment with Aviator by SPRIBE, he disclosed that he competed with a knee injury before his second fight against Yan (20-5-0), but never made it public.

He said, "Last Petr Yan fight, I had a knee injury. A UFC doctor called me and told me I could pull out of the fight because of my knee. I said no. My team and my doctor helped me recover, and I fought."

If anything, the revelation offers a fresh perspective on one of his defining performances. Rather than postponing the bout, Dvalishvili chose to push through the injury, trusting his team to get him into fighting shape.

Now, as the Georgian awaits an official confirmation from the UFC, the rivalry with Yan is set for another chapter. Dvalishvili's remarkable 2025 title reign came to an end when Yan reclaimed the bantamweight belt at UFC 323 in dominant fashion, earning a unanimous decision over the grappler.