Almost engaging in a physical altercation backstage tonight, Merab Dvalisvili claimed incoming UFC 311 opponent, Umar Nurmagomedov was “gifted” a title fight against him on January 18. — before labelling him a “piece of sh*t” and questioned him as a man.
Dvalishvili, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, was booked to make his return to the Octagon earlier this weekend, with the promotion confirming the Georgian would make the first attempted defense of the crown in a grudge match with the unbeaten 18-0 challenger, Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in the new year.
And ahead of tonight’s UFC 311 pre-fight press conference ahead of the pairing in Los Angeles, Merab Dvalishvili engaged in a backstage verbal skirmish with Nurmagomedov — with the two corralled by security officials, as the champion offered to settle their differences there and then.
Merab Dvalishvili unleashes tirade aimed at Umar Nurmagomedov
Taking the stage tonight alongside event headliners, Islam Makahchev and Armenian challenger, Arman Tsarukyan — Merab Dvalishvili lost his cool and temper with Russian challenger, Nurmagomedov — claiming he was not a man and was just a “piece of sh*t” who had been gifted a shot at the bantamweight crown by UFC boss, Dana White.
“Be man first, you have to be man first,” Merab Dvalishvili told Umar Nurmagomedov. “You are a good fighter, but you are not a good man. I am the man. You are a piece of sh*t, okay? You are a piece of sh*t. You lost respect. You lost respect as a man for me, okay? Real men don’t talk in trash online, okay?
You try to avoid me. Even this doesn’t mention my name. Who are you? Who are you? You think I’m going to go backwards and fight number 15? I’m going to show you. I’m going to take it well, and you know it. You fucking, how dare you sneaky guy? After I beat Petr Yan, and I become number one contender, you call me out. I don’t even see this video that time, and you come in the locker room, and you shake my hand, congratulations, and you want to fight me after you was number 14. I was number one.”
