The heat is on as Merab Dvalishvili prepares for his first title defense against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. The two bantamweights have built an animosity that’s hard to ignore. From verbal jabs at press conferences to accusations of disrespect, the tension is palpable.

Umar accused Merab of ducking him. “It’s looking very bad. It’s looking like he’s trying to avoid (me), like he is scared. I don’t understand how the champion is trying to avoid,” Merab had said. On the other hand, Merab demanded an apology from Umar for disrespecting him. He asserted, “He may get a slap after the fight. The fight in the octagon is not a real fight; it’s a sport. If Umar does not apologize to me, it’s going to happen. Even if I have to go in Dagestan, I will go.” Now, the latest chapter in their rivalry unfolded with Dvalishvili claiming he was denied entry to the UFC Performance Institute (PI) due to Nurmagomedov’s presence.

In a post on Instagram, ‘The Machine’ stated, “I’m here out front of the UFC P.I., and security don’t let me go in because they said, ‘Umar Nurmagomedov is inside,’ and they are protecting him.” This fiery exchange isn’t new. Nurmagomedov has been poking at Dvalishvili, calling him scared, and the champ hasn’t taken kindly to the insinuations. But amid the accusations, AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) head coach, Javier Mendez has stepped forward to clear the air with a straightforward take on the whole situation!

During a recent conversation with The Schmo on his YouTube channel, Mendez suggested the issue stemmed from scheduling rather than any deliberate slight. According to him, Team Khabib has a set amount of hours reserved for themselves at the UFC PI. “I want to ask, did you just want to come recently or this was before when we decided we were going to train there, I mean I don’t know. So, my question would be if we’re already told we’re training from this time to that time till we end up going to Los Angeles right, and then you come in, you say, ‘I want to train’ okay, when you want to train? Well, Umar and Islam are training there in time, well how can you get upset at that?” He also addressed Merab’s problems with Team Khabib.

He stated, “I don’t know, I don’t understand the ‘disrespectful things’, I mean what is Umar saying, I mean you’re the champion of course everybody wants the champion. You’re the champion, who doesn’t want to fight you, anybody that’s within your ranking wants to fight you, you know.”

Mendez pointed out that Nurmagomedov wasn’t the one calling the shots. Instead, the UFC had set the wheels in motion by revealing, “No, the UFC said the winner of that (Sandhagen) fight gets the next title shot so all Umar is doing is taking his opportunity to get his title shot.”

As such, Mendez was firm further stating, “…that’s on the UFC not on us.” Still, the veteran coach extended a sportsmanlike olive branch, emphasizing that Team Khabib wants a fair fight by confessing, “We want him to have a great training camp, we want the best Merab.”

And so, the UFC Performance Institute, meant to be a neutral ground for fighters, inadvertently became a battleground. Dvalishvili’s accusations, though dramatic, underscored the stakes of UFC 311. The fight isn’t just about skill—it’s about proving who commands the division, inside and outside the cage. But according to Khabib Nurmagomedov, the champion’s actions are speaking louder than his words before this fight!

‘The Eagle’ believes the weight of a champion’s crown is weighing heavy on Dvalishvili

Pressure can turn coal into diamonds—or shatter it entirely. Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks Merab Dvalishvili might be buckling under the weight of being champion. The UFC bantamweight belt, which Dvalishvili claimed by dismantling Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, hasn’t come without its challenges. Initially planning a break to savor his victory, ‘The Machine’ found himself pulled back into the grind. The UFC handed him a January date to defend against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. Accepting wasn’t easy though, as Dvalishvili repeatedly questioned Umar’s qualifications, even chalking up the title shot to family ties with Khabib.

But ‘The Eagle’ isn’t buying that narrative as in a recent interview he fired back by stating, “I think when he was beginning his career, he was acting good. When he became champion, he cannot deal with this because life changing. Before champion and after champion there is two life. You have to deal with this.”

The former lightweight champion also dismissed the accusations of favoritism as he pointed out, “About Umar ‘gift,’ Umar is 18-0 and on a six-fight win streak in the UFC. And they gave him a very tough opponent in his last fight, five-round main event versus Cory Sandhagen. I think Umar deserve.”

And so, the stage is set and the stakes are higher than ever. As UFC 311 looms, the animosity between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov has grown into a storm threatening to engulf the bantamweight division. From accusations of favoritism to disputes over gym schedules, the clash has transcended the Octagon, becoming a battle of pride and perception. Yet, amid the chaos, questions linger, who will rise under the spotlight and silence the doubters? Will this fight see another belt head home with Team Khabib or will ‘The Machine’ remind everyone why he is the champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!