Reigning UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili nearly came to blows with undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov earlier tonight (Fri., Dec. 6, 2024) as the two fighters met backstage ahead of UFC 311’s pre-fight press conference (replay HERE).
Earlier this week, UFC CEO, Dana White, revealed the upcoming fight card for UFC 311 on Jan. 18 from inside Intuit Arena in Inglewood, California. One of the two title fights going down at UFC’s first pay-per-view (PPV) card of 2025 is a bantamweight clash between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov. It will be Dvalishvili’s first official title defense since dominating Sean O’Malley back at UFC 306 to win the belt.
Believe it or not, Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are not on good terms. That’s because Nurmagomedov has talked a little bit of trash over the past couple of months in effort to score his first official UFC title shot. Dvalishvili, who is a pretty emotional fighter, has taken things personally. In fact, White confirmed that Dvalishvili stormed into the UFC offices earlier this week to demand a fight against Nurmagomedov.
“Merab came into the office late last night and told us he’s tired of listening to Umar disrespect him and that he wants to make this fight as soon as possible,” White said via Instagram. “We called Umar, he was sleeping in Dagestan, and he said, ‘Hell yes! Anywhere, any time.’”
On Friday, Merab and Umar came face-to-face backstage ahead of their UFC 311 pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. It didn’t take long before Dvalishvili confronted Nurmagomedov and asked him why he’s been so disrespectful. Nurmagomedov wasn’t going to back down and the two bantamweights would have easily threw hands if security didn’t hold them back.
Check out the video footage below:
Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov had to be separated before the UFC 311 press conference
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) December 6, 2024
Umar: “I will be in Vegas, call me. Anytime.”
Merab: “Come here, I’m here now.”
Umar: “Here, a lot of security. Call me, we’re gonna see.”
Merab: “Okay I will call you.”
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 6, 2024
“I will be in Vegas, call me. Anytime,” said Nurmagomedov.
“Come here, I’m here now,” responded Dvalishvili.
“Here, a lot of security. Call me, we’re gonna see,” Umar returned fire.
“Okay I will call you,” Merab concluded.
For more UFC 311 fight card news and coverage click HERE.