Merab Dvalishvili clears up issue with Islam Makhachev following UFC 330 reaction

Merab Dvalishvili moved to clarify his position toward UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev following a viral clip in which Makhachev accused the Georgian fighter of being critical of his success. The incident stemmed from Dvalishvili's live reaction to Makhachev's title defense against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, which apparently did not sit well with the champion.

On Wednesday, Dvalishvili released a statement on social media to address the misunderstanding. He opened by emphasizing his respect for Makhachev, calling him a great and humble champion whose hard work he admires. Dvalishvili also noted that he had congratulated Makhachev both after the fight and on social media. However, he explained that his reaction was specifically triggered by Makhachev's team bringing the Russian flag into the Octagon—an action that Dvalishvili felt was inconsistent with treatment he had received in his own title fights. Despite competing in five UFC title bouts, Dvalishvili stated he was never permitted to bring his Georgian and American flags into the cage.

Dvalishvili took the opportunity to articulate the distinction between his criticism and any personal animosity. "I don't hate Russian people. I hate Russian politics and Russian government," he said, then outlined historical grievances between Georgia and Russia spanning back to the 1500s, including Russian occupation of approximately 20 percent of Georgian territory, conflicts in Chechnya, and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. He criticized Russian media for misrepresenting such statements and noted that freedom of speech does not exist in Russia.

Notably, Dvalishvili expressed specific respect for the people of the Caucasus region—Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia among them—acknowledging their distinct identities and cultures. While he maintains an ongoing feud with Makhachev's training partner Umar Nurmagomedov, that tension does not extend to Makhachev himself. Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Petr Yan in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on October 24.