UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili says the fan who got into an altercation with him in the crowd at UFC 310 might’ve been a plant by Umar Nurmagomedov.
Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov have turned from cordial competitors to heated rivals in just a few months. After Dvalishvili earned the belt by defeating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, Dvalishvili dismissed Nurmagomedov’s case for a title shot, before ultimately the UFC booked the pair for the UFC 311 co-main event next month.
Ahead of their January grudge match, Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili nearly got their fight started early while in Las Vegas for their UFC 311 press conference. The two elite bantamweights got into a heated verbal altercation that nearly turned physical backstage, and tensions didn’t disperse once the press conference began.
After Dvalishvili’s teammate, Aljamain Sterling suffered a loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310, a member of the crowd was seen trash-talking and insulting Dvalishvili as they walked out of the arena. Dvalishvili attempted to start an all-out brawl before security personnel intervened, although one of his teammates threw a punch at the fan.
It turns out that the fan is a friend of Nurmagomedov and many other top Dagestani fighters.
Merab Dvalishvili speaks after viral altercation in the crowd at UFC 310
Taking to X on Sunday, Dvalishvili shared his version of events as he and Sterling departed T-Mobile Arena.
“More lies, disrespect, and deliberate provocations from Umar’s team,” Dvalishvili alleged. “Here’s the real story…”, followed by a video clip detailing his account.
As of this writing, Nurmagomedov and his team haven’t addressed the incident with Dvalishvili at UFC 310. UFC CEO Dana White addressed the skirmish during his post-fight press conference, coining Dvalishvili a ‘Mini Sean Strickland without the mouth’.
Luckily, cooler heads eventually prevailed, but that came after several punches were thrown between Dvalishvili, his teammate, and the Nurmagomedov ally. The incident could come under investigation by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which handed Arman Tsarukyan a suspension after assaulting a fan during his UFC 300 walkout.
It’s uncertain if Dvalishvili’s altercation will impact his status for UFC 311, but as of this writing, the fight remains intact.
- READ MORE: Michael Chiesa eyes former UFC title challenger’s all-time record after impressive finish at UFC 310
Merab Dvalishvili faces potential suspension Arman Tsarukyan served after UFC 300
Before earning the title at UFC 306, Dvalishvili defeated the likes of former UFC champions Petr Yan, José Aldo, and Henry Cejudo. He hasn’t lost since a controversial defeat to Ricky Simón in 2018.
Tensions began to ramp up between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov almost immediately after Dvalishvili’s title win. Things reached a hostile level when Dvalishvili appeared to offer a title shot to Yan, and not Nurmagomedov, after Yan’s main event victory at UFC Macau.
Dvalishvili dominated Yan in their matchup last year by unanimous decision, attempting a UFC record 49 takedowns. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are considered two of the best wrestlers in the UFC today.
There remains no love between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov ahead of their UFC 311 clash, and Dvalishvili’s UFC 310 skirmish with one of Nurmagomedov’s friends might not be the end of their pre-fight controversies. Expect things to intensify as fight night draws near in Los Angeles.