about 5 hours ago

Merab Dvalishvili Says Umar Nurmagomedov Made Rivalry Personal With “Disrespect”

“I always showed him respect… but he disrespected me, and that was personal for sure,” Dvalishvili said of Nurmagomedov. The bantamweight champ argued Umar was “pushed because of his cousin,” Khabib’s legacy, unlike his own rise through hard work. With Umar (18-1) set to return Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi vs. Bautista, tensions with Merab continue to escalate toward a possible rematch.