Merab Dvalishvili wasn’t happy to see rival Umar Nurmagomedov get stopped

Merab Dvalishvili's rivalry with Umar Nurmagomedov did not prevent the former UFC bantamweight champion from showing respect when his rival suffered a devastating knockout loss at UFC Shanghai in August. Song Yadong perfectly timed an uppercut to stop Nurmagomedov (20-2) cold, marking the first stoppage defeat of the Dagestani's professional career. Though Dvalishvili (21-5) has been vocal about his dislike for Nurmagomedov—whom he accused of being fast-tracked to a title shot as Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin—the Georgian drew a clear distinction between sporting rivalry and wishing injury on an opponent.

Dvalishvili praised Song's striking prowess and expressed excitement at a potential future matchup with the Chinese 135-pounder, who now sits in the title conversation. "When I see Umar lose that way, I was not happy because I never wish somebody to lose or get KO'd like this," Dvalishvili said, though he quickly pivoted to enthusiasm for Song's emergence as a new contender. Dvalishvili himself remains focused on reclaiming gold, facing Petr Yan in a bantamweight trilogy at UFC 333 on October 24 in Abu Dhabi. Should he prevail, he has already identified Song as his next opponent, citing fresh matchups and the Chinese fighter's knockout power as compelling reasons to pursue that contest.