'Life changes'… Khabib Nurmagomedov claims Merab Dvalishvili can't handle fame, fortune of being UFC champion
12/18/2024 04:43 PM
UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Merab Dvalishvili’s recent outbursts can be attributed to the added pressures of having a world title.
UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has had an eventful few months since winning the belt at UFC 306. He’s gone from dismissing Umar Nurmagomedov’s title shot claim to agreeing to face him at UFC 311, albeit after a heated buildup in recent weeks.
After a backstage altercation ahead of their first UFC 311 press conference, tensions between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are thick. Things didn’t alleviate during the press conference as the two top bantamweight fighters hijacked most of the microphone time.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar’s cousin, knows a thing or two about heated fight buildups and what it’s like to be a world titleholder. Many regard his rivalry with Conor McGregor as one of the darkest feuds in combat sports history.
While the Dvalishvili/Nurmagomedov rivalry isn’t close to being in the same breath as the Khabib/McGregor feud, it’s added intrigue to the UFC 311 co-main event. After Dvalishvili had a relatively calm buildup to his title win over Sean O’Malley, he’ll enter the Octagon with a personal vendetta to stop Umar in his first title defense.
But Khabib believes Dvalishvili has already shown his hand ahead of UFC 311, and his recent fiery outbursts show he can’t handle championship expectations.
Khabib Nurmagomedov: Merab Dvalishvili ‘cannot deal’ with UFC champ spotlight
As shared by Red Corner MMA, Nurmagomedov weighed in on Dvalishvili’s outbursts ahead of UFC 311.
"I think when he began his career, he was acting good. When he became champion, he cannot deal with this," Nurmagomedov said of Dvalishvili. "Because life changes. Before champion and after champion, there are two lives. You have to deal with it.
"I think Umar deserves it. I don't know why Merab is nervous," Nurmagomedov continued. "Umar's here not because he is my cousin. He's here because he's 18-0 and 6-0 in the UFC. Umar wants to create his legacy. January 18, he will show why Merab is nervous." (h/t MMANews)
As of this writing, Dvalishvili hasn’t responded to Nurmagomedov’s claims. He recently poked fun at Khabib, Umar, and their inner circle by recreating an infamous jacuzzi photo.
Merab Dvalishvili is uncharacteristically fired up ahead of Umar Nurmagomedov showdown
The unbeaten Umar will have Khabib in his corner for UFC 311 next month. Leading up to UFC 311, Nurmagomedov defeated the likes of Cory Sandhagen, Raoni Barcelos, and Bekzat Almakhan en route to the title shot.
Dvalishvili is also on a lengthy unbeaten streak after defeating O’Malley by unanimous decision to secure the belt. Before outpointing O’Malley, Dvalishvili earned top-tier wins over former titleholders Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and José Aldo.
It’ll be a busy night for Khabib as he coaches two of the card’s top headliners at UFC 311. In the main event, Nurmagomedov’s longtime teammate and friend Islam Makhachev will defend the UFC lightweight title in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan.
Dvalishvili has the opportunity to prove Khabib, Umar, and other detractors wrong during his upcoming first title defense. But for now, Khabib believes Dvalishvili’s anger towards Umar shows he can’t handle what comes with being a UFC titleholder.
