Umar Nurmagomedov has taken aim at Merab Dvalishvili following their latest off-camera controversy, criticizing the former UFC bantamweight champion for his behavior during the inaugural Real American Freestyle event in Georgia.
The tension between the two rivals has been building for years, and it resurfaced once again after an altercation involving one of Umar Nurmagomedov’s close friends at the RAF event in July.
The incident began during a pre-fight press conference when Dvalishvili was asked whether he would be interested in facing Nurmagomedov in a future RAF wrestling match. The Georgian quickly dismissed the idea.
“No, never, f*ck that guy. Whoever RAF choose, I’ll fight. Except this spoiled guy,” Dvalishvili said.
Later, a confrontation broke out in the crowd between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov’s friend, Ahmad. Footage of the incident quickly circulated online, reigniting the rivalry between the two camps.
Speaking during an interview with MMA journalist Adam Zubayraev, Umar Nurmagomedov did not hold back when discussing Dvalishvili’s actions.
“He’s the one who has to live with it,” Nurmagomedov said. “For example, can you imagine a Georgian coming up to me in Dagestan? If a Georgian tells me not to talk to Merab, and I hit him from behind and insult him in my own language, I can’t imagine myself doing that. But as a person, how do you live with that?
“And the people who defend it, that means there’s something wrong there. You have to call wrong things wrong. No matter who does it.”
According to Nurmagomedov, Ahmad approached Dvalishvili to question why he was speaking negatively about someone who was not present. He insisted that his friend did not start the physical confrontation.
“Yeah, Ahmad walked up to him and said, ‘Why are you speaking for someone who isn’t even here?’”Nurmagomedov explained. “He didn’t insult him, didn’t say anything rude, didn’t show any disrespect. He said, ‘Tell him to his face what you want to say. Why are you swearing here?’”
The bad blood between Umar Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili dates back to 2024, when the Dagestani contender emerged as one of the division’s fastest-rising stars. Their rivalry eventually led to a UFC bantamweight title fight at UFC 311 in January 2025.
On that night, Dvalishvili successfully defended his championship with a unanimous decision victory over Nurmagomedov after five hard-fought rounds. Despite the result, the hostility between the two men has never faded.
For now, a rematch remains on hold. Dvalishvili is reportedly being lined up for a trilogy fight against Petr Yan later this year, while Umar Nurmagomedov is preparing for a crucial showdown with Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai on August 29.
If both fighters emerge victorious in their upcoming bouts, calls for a second meeting inside the Octagon are expected to intensify.
Despite the ongoing feud, Nurmagomedov insists he is not focused on proving anything to his longtime rival.
“I swear, I don’t care at all what he does or how he feels,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’m being honest with you. In general, there are probably people who want to prove something. Brother, I have nothing to prove to anyone and I have nothing to prove to Merab and I have nothing to prove to Georgians. I just want to live my life, that’s it.”
