When faced with the dilemma of helping either your countryman or your close friend when they’re on opposing sides, what’s the right choice? For 23-year-old Russian amateur Magdi Amachov, a rising MMA talent from Dagestan, this question has come to the forefront as he trains with Umar Nurmagomedov to prepare for the latter’s upcoming title shot against bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311.

What many fans may not know is that Amachov shares a deep connection with Merab Dvalishvili, who took him in when the young Dagestani first arrived in America. ‘The Machine’ provided him with a home in Houston, Texas, and helped him adjust to life in the U.S. Now, with Amachov supporting Umar Nurmagomedov in his preparation, fans have raised concerns, calling the situation “sad,” as it places Amachov in the position of helping his friend’s potential rival. How does ‘The Machine’ feel about this?

The champion remains untroubled by the situation. Talking to ‘The Schmo’ on YouTube, Dvalishvili responded to the controversy, saying, “He can do whatever he wants, especially since he’s from Dagestan. I know he loves Islam Makhachev, I know he loves Khabib, of course, Umar Nurmagomedov. They call each other Muslim brothers, so I’m not surprised. It’s his country, those are his friends. I wouldn’t do that, but I’m not going to judge him. I love him.”

As for 23-year-old Magdi Amachov, who has yet to make his professional MMA debut, He holds a 2-1 amateur record, with his most recent fight ending in a split-decision loss. With UFC 311 becoming a focal point for national pride, Merab Dvalishvili is also preparing to bring a key figure from his home country, Georgia, into his corner. The question now is: who will that be?

Merab Dvalishvili is gearing up to have Ilia Topuria support him in his corner

UFC 311 is shaping up to be a blockbuster event, with Georgian fighter Merab Dvalishvili defending his bantamweight title. The involvement of the Nurmagomedov camp has turned this into a matter of national pride, as last week Khabib Nurmagomedov sparked controversy by claiming that Dagestan “dominates MMA” not just in comparison to Ireland, but the entire world.

Now, it has become a battle between two countries. Alongside the bantamweight title fight between Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili, Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan, and the entire Dagestan team, including Khabib, will be there.

Dvalishvili, aiming to have a strong mental support system, intends to invite his fellow Georgian compatriot, featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria, to join his corner for the upcoming fight. Dvalishvili spoke about this while speaking to TNT Sports, saying, “Yeah, I’m going to ask Ilia if he wants this [to be in my corner], we’ll see. Yeah, like I’m here in Vegas, [I] live here, training here, [at] Syndicate MMA and John Wood is coaching me. And Ray Longo will fly out from New York, and Aljamain Sterling, my best friend and training partner will be with me. I’m gonna ask Ilia if he has time and go from there.”

What’s your opinion on the decision made by 23-year-old Magdi Amachov? Was it the right call for him to support his fellow Dagestani countryman over the friend who once helped him avoid homelessness? Share your thoughts below.