Despite past tensions, UFC CEO Dana White has shown support for bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, who is set to defend his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, following incidents with fans and media controversies in 2024.
UFC CEO Dana White and bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili have had their ups and downs. But as of 2025, things seem pretty chill between them.
Dvalishvili is gearing up to defend his title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. Mark your calendars for Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles! “The Machine” has had a few run-ins with fans lately, especially after Aljamain Sterling‘s loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310.
After a clip of one incident went viral, White commented on it, calling Dvalishvili his mini-Sean Strickland “without the mouth.” Despite the drama, Dvalishvili felt White was on his side, even though he was caught up in the headlines before the Nurmagomedov fight announcement.
“He defended me,” Dvalishvili shared with MMA Fighting. The media often asks strange questions about him, trying to stir the pot. But this time, Dana stood by him. When rumors swirled that Merab was scared of Umar, Dana knew better. Every time Umar’s name came up, Merab was ready to say yes.
An incident with Umar’s friend tried to paint Dvalishvili in a bad light. As a pro fighter who loves interacting with fans, he was caught off guard. The guy approached him while recording and speaking in Russian, using some choice words. Security intervened before things escalated.
Dana backed him up afterward, which Merab appreciated. He expressed gratitude towards the UFC despite the haters and media drama. Not everyone in the media plays fair; they love stirring up controversy because drama sells.
Merab heads into his first title defense riding an impressive 11-fight win streak spanning nearly seven years. He clinched the UFC gold by defeating Sean O’Malley decisively at UFC 306 last September.
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov boasts an undefeated record of 18-0, with a stellar start in the UFC at 6-0. His recent victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi earned him this title shot.
When announcing the bout, White revealed that Dvalishvili approached the UFC offices eager for this fight. He was fed up with Umar’s disrespect and wanted to settle it in the octagon.
“UFC needed me in January,” Dvalishvili recalled. He walked into the office and said, “I’m tired of this guy disrespecting me; let’s do it.”
And just like that, he stepped up for the challenge. Ready or not, here comes another epic showdown!