Merab Dvalishvili gathered his entire team to humorously taunt Umar Nurmagomedov ahead of their upcoming title fight at UFC 311.
Just hours after the fight announcement, tensions escalated between UFC bantamweight champion Dvalishvili and undefeated contender Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili had previously seemed to downplay Nurmagomedov’s claims for a title shot, but they are now set to clash in what will be Dvalishvili’s first title defense.
In the lead-up to their grudge match at UFC 311, Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov faced off at a pre-fight press conference last week. This event was particularly charged, as moments before, the two fighters had nearly engaged in a brawl backstage.
During the press conference, Dvalishvili made a lighthearted jab at Nurmagomedov and his teammate Islam Makhachev, referencing an old photo of Makhachev and members of Team Khabib in a hot tub. While Makhachev appeared to take the joke in good humor, Nurmagomedov seemed perplexed by the remark, as he was not in the original photograph.
Days later, Dvalishvili escalated his antics by recreating the infamous Team Khabib hot tub photo, further fueling the rivalry.
Dvalishvili shared his recreation on his X account, thanking “Khabib’s Cousin” for the original photo and indicating that things are friendly between them until the fight, which is set for January 18th. His post quickly gained traction on social media, featuring his entire team, including former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.
As of now, neither Nurmagomedov nor his teammates have responded publicly to Dvalishvili’s playful trolling. The tension between the two fighters has been building for months, particularly after Dvalishvili advocated for Deiveson Figueiredo to receive a title shot instead of Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov secured his title shot following significant victories over Cory Sandhagen, Bekzat Almakhan, and Raoni Barcelos. Additionally, he is related to UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who will be in his corner for the title fight.
The atmosphere between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov has only intensified after their altercations at the UFC 311 press conference. Following UFC 310, an ally of Nurmagomedov hurled insults at Dvalishvili, leading to a physical confrontation with Dvalishvili’s teammate, Dennis Buzukja.
Initially, it was thought that Dvalishvili had merely clashed with a random fan. However, it later emerged that the fan was associated with Nurmagomedov’s team, as photos of them together circulated online. As of this moment, it remains unclear whether the Nevada State Athletic Commission will investigate the altercation.
With UFC 311 approaching, the animosity between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov is palpable. Nevertheless, Dvalishvili’s recent social media post suggests some light-heartedness amidst the existing rivalry.
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