Umar Nurmagomedov Questions Merab Dvalishvili’s Character After Georgia Incident

The bad blood between top Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweights Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili shows zero signs of cooling down. Following a tense physical altercation in Georgia where Dvalishvili reportedly slapped Nurmagomedov’s friend, Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, the Dagestani contender has stepped forward to address the situation publicly.

Speaking with Russian combat sports reporter Adam Zubayraev, Nurmagomedov voiced deep disappointment over how his former opponent handled the encounter. According to reports, Gadzhimagomedov approached Dvalishvili at a Real American Freestyle event to ask about a potential rematch and clarify previous harsh comments Dvalishvili made online. The interaction quickly deteriorated when Dvalishvili physically struck Gadzhimagomedov before event security managed to intervene and separate the two parties.

Nurmagomedov insists his friend had no malicious intent and questioned how anyone could defend Dvalishvili's actions. "He's the one who has to live with it. Can you imagine a Georgian coming up to me in Dagestan? I can’t imagine myself doing that. But as a person, how do you live with that, and how do the people who defend it live with that?" Nurmagomedov questioned.

A Bitter Bantamweight Rivalry Continues to Escalate

This recent altercation adds yet another chapter to an increasingly personal rivalry between two of the bantamweight division's finest. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov originally collided inside the Octagon at UFC 311 in January 2025, where Dvalishvili secured a hard-fought unanimous decision victory to retain the UFC bantamweight championship. Throughout the build-up and fallout of that matchup, Dvalishvili frequently traded verbal barbs with team Eagles MMA, leaving plenty of unresolved tension between both camps.

Despite the lone setback on his record, Nurmagomedov (20-1 MMA) has rebounded impressively. The 30-year-old rising star picked up pivotal victories over Mario Bautista and former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 to maintain his position near the top of the 135-pound rankings. Nurmagomedov now turns his attention toward a marquee headlining showdown against dangerous striker Song Yadong. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA) remains a towering figure at the summit of the weight class.

While both athletes remain focused on their respective paths inside the Octagon, this outside-the-cage confrontation proves that their personal animosity stretches far beyond fight night. If matchmakers eventually pair the two bantamweight titans up for a high-stakes rematch down the road, expect the lingering friction from Georgia to fuel one of the most intense build-ups in division history.