Two weeks ago, top bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili nearly threw a wrench into the highly anticipated UFC 306—dubbed ‘Riyadh Season Noche’—when he posted a video showing a fresh cut above his eye from a training mishap. This sparked immediate concern among fans and officials alike, as Dvalishvili is set to headline the event against division champion Sean O’Malley, making this one of Dana White’s most ambitious and high-stakes projects.

Never one to mince words, Dana White was quick to slam Dvalishvili for his careless social media post, calling it ‘dumb’ and ‘stupid’ for potentially jeopardizing the event’s ticket sales and overall hype. White’s blunt reaction quickly became a hot topic on Daniel Cormier’s podcast, where Cormier and his guest couldn’t help but poke fun at the UFC president’s fiery response. The incident has only added more drama to an already loaded fight card, leaving fans eager to see how Dvalishvili’s cut—and White’s sharp words—might affect the showdown in Riyadh.

Daniel Cormier and guest on Dana White’s reaction to Dvalishvili’s injury

In a recent podcast, Daniel Cormier was joined by former UFC fighter Ben Askren. While discussing the humorous side of Merab Dvalishvili, Cormier brought up the incident where Dvalishvili handled his injury and cut his stitches with household scissors. Cormier then asked Askren if filming such a video was a big deal.

Askren dismissed Dana White’s reaction, considering Dvalishvili’s actions to be routine. He commented, ” I think we’re 18 days away from the fight still. So, he has 18 days left to heal, and the stitches are already out. I think it’s a non-issue. I think Dana overreacted last week.” 

Daniel Cormier further agreed with Askren’s take. However, Cormier and Askren aren’t the only ones who think White overreacted. Many fans and MMA stars echoed similar views on Dana White’s response, including Merab Dvalishvili’s best friend and training partner, Aljamain Sterling, who recently voiced his frustration with White’s comments about his friend.

Aljamain Sterling calls Dana White’s reaction excessive

Aljamain Sterling is currently training for his upcoming featherweight fight against Movsar Evloev at UFC 307. However, he seems more invested in his best friend Merab Dvalishvili’s fight at UFC 306, which is scheduled for Mexican Independence Day week. Sterling recently lost his temper after Dana White criticized Dvalishvili for sharing news about his injury online.

Sterling, who couldn’t stand seeing his friend disrespected, took to X and wrote, “Merab shares his stories of training camp… ppl LOVE him for it… nothing “stupid” about it, period. He’s training and will show up Sept 14, like he always does. Is this about betting lines?… Respectfully, this reaction was a bit over the top IMHO.” This isn’t the first time Sterling and Dana White have clashed. Previously, when Sterling was in the bantamweight division, he turned down White’s offer to fight his best friend.

What are your thoughts on Daniel Cormier and Ben Askren’s remarks? Do you also think Dana White overreacted towards Merab Dvalishvili just for a minor injury? Share your thoughts below.