UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is facing criticism for recent comments about respect and sportsmanship following revelations about his past competition behavior.
The controversy emerged after Dvalishvili’s heated exchanges with Umar Nurmagomedov ahead of their UFC 311 co-main event scheduled for January 18 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. During the press conference, Dvalishvili emphasized the importance of respect, stating, “I’m a man first. If you come to my face and if you disrespect me, you’re going to get slapped. I don’t care (about) this belt. I don’t care (about) this money. I don’t care (about) this legacy.”
However, a social media user have uncovered instances that appear to contradict Dvalishvili’s stance on respect. According to Taylor Weber, who defeated Dvalishvili at the 2024 US Nationals in Sport Sambo, the Georgian displayed unsportsmanlike conduct by refusing to appear at the podium ceremony and reportedly calling Weber “a sh!t f ighter” after the loss.
Further allegations include claims that Dvalishvili engaged in illegal tactics during their match, including striking Weber in the face before attempting a double leg takedown.
Weber corroborated all of these accounts on his twitter stating he felt robbed of a memorable moment with Dvalisvili beneath him on the podium.
The controversy extends to Dvalishvili’s international competition history. At the 2019 World Sambo Championship in South Korea, he faced Stepan Kobenov of Russia in the finals. Kobenov, who worked at a Thermal Power Plant and received a $500 bonus for his victory, recalled the encounter in an interview: “In Korea, before the World Championships, the entire Internet was buzzing about the fact that an athlete from the UFC would appear in my weight class… For me he is just a sparring partner in the final.”
These revelations have led to increased scrutiny of Dvalishvili’s recent comments about respect and sportsmanship, with fans and critics questioning the consistency between his words and actions. His teammate Aljamain Sterling has also been drawn into the discussion, with social media users questioning the team’s overall approach to sportsmanship.
The situation continues to develop as both Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov prepare for their upcoming bout at UFC 311.
Here’s a highlight video of my matches that day first two throws being me vs Merab pic.twitter.com/G8MO1MZXnV
— Taylor Weber (@Tweber64kg) December 27, 2024
