UFC bantamweight fighter Merab Dvalishvili has voiced his confusion and frustration over being overlooked for a title shot despite his nine-fight winning streak, believing he deserves the opportunity, and also defended his friendship with fellow fighter Aljamain Sterling, which has drawn criticism from UFC CEO Dana White and fans.
Merab Dvalishvili has been dealing with conflict from fight fans and his CEO, UFC’s Dana White, over his friendship with Aljamain Sterling, made more complicated by Sterling’s recent loss of the UFC bantamweight champion title. Following Sterling’s surprise title loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292, White openly criticized Dvalishvili’s loyalty to his friend and wondered why it should impede his own career progression. This critique left Dvalishvili confused, particularly now that Sterling’s title loss should have presumably simplified the Team Serra-Longo issue that previously faced him and Sterling.
Dvalishvili, a seasoned fighter currently ranked as the top bantamweight on UFC’s own rankings aside from O’Malley and Sterling, has been patiently working towards the title. However, despite his division-leading nine UFC wins, Dvalishvili’s chance at the title seems elusive. The new champ, O’Malley after his victory, overlooked Dvalishvili as a contender and instead dropped a challenge to No. 6 ranked Chito Vera. While this title bout is yet to formalize, it seems possible that this development will leave Dvalishvili as the observer, despite his impressive record.
The seeming disregard for his claim to the title is difficult for Dvalishvili, who admits it’s frustrating to be in such a situation. Every fight is a risk, and he questions why he should risk injury by accepting another challenger when he believes he’s earned the right to compete for the title. He clearly values the potential significance of the title to his homeland, as no Georgian has yet contested for the title. The title would be a significant milestone not just for him, but his country as well.
This frustration is further aggravated by O’Malley, who has been dismissively treating Dvalishvili, including suggesting that he’s already triumphed over Dvalishvili because he bested Sterling at UFC 292. However, Dvalishvili remains steadfast, countering that, despite being friends and teammates with Sterling, he stands separate in his own merit. He strongly feels that he’s a new challenge for O’Malley and rebuffs the constant blame on their friendship. Finally, Dvalishvili emphasized that neither he nor Sterling has ever been offered by the UFC to pit against each other, questioning the constant criticism.
Dvalishvili doesn’t understand why their friendship seems to be a major point of contention, while the more crucial point is that he believes he deserves a shot at the title.