Merab Dvalishvili harbors no ill will toward his former training partner, even though he has joined forces with his rival.
“The Machine” is poised to put his bantamweight title on the line for the first time against Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event at UFC 311, taking place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The buildup to this fight has been brimming with palpable tension, as Nurmagomedov has been vocal in his pursuit of a title shot for some time. While Dvalishvili initially seemed hesitant to accept the challenge, the matchup was ultimately confirmed.
Interestingly, a recent social media post from Georgian journalist Giorgi Kokiashvili has injected even more drama into the upcoming matchup. Kokiashvili revealed that Magdi Amachov, the former teammate of the reigning 135-pound champion, is now lending his support to “The Young Eagle” in preparation for UFC 311.
This comes after Dvalishvili had previously helped Amachov settle in the United States, even offering him accommodation.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Dvalishvili weighed in on the ongoing situation with Amachov, emphasizing that he holds no animosity towards his former training partner.
“The Machine” explained that Amachov’s decision to join Nurmagomedov’s fight camp was motivated by a desire to support his Dagestani compatriot, rather than any personal conflict.
“I love him and I did help him but I didn’t do it because I own him you know? He’s a big man and he can do whatever he wants,” Dvalishvili said. “He’s from Dagestan, and I know he loves Islam Makhachev, I know he loves Khabib Nurmagomedov, of course Umar Nurmagomedov. They call each other Muslim brothers, and I’m not surprised, of course. That’s his country, that’s his friends. I mean, I will not do that, but I will also not judge him. I love him, and I understand this, and I’m not mad at him. That’s OK.”
Dvalishvili captured the bantamweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024. He is riding high on an 11-fight unbeaten streak.
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi in August 2024, extending his undefeated streak to six straight wins inside the Octagon.
