Merab Dvalishvili’s victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 has kicked up a storm in its aftermath. The Georgian showed his reluctance to fight #2-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov. in the Octagon interview. Instead, he outlined his desire to face #5-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo. A decision that has earned scrutiny from fans, peers, and pundits alike. The controversy not only highlights the tensions between wrestlers in the division but also calls into question the perception of fairness and merit within the sport.

The UFC is often at the center of debates about the validity of title opportunities. The promotion constantly faces pressure to balance entertainment with competitive fairness. However, the decision by Dvalishvili truly goes against it. While he did state that according to him, Figueiredo is the much-deserving candidate, coach Javier Mendez issued a reality check to the new champion.

In the latest edition of his podcast, Coach Mendez decided to make The Georgian realize that it is not him who decides who is worthy or who isn’t. Instead, he should just accept the fight as it is. A piece of advice that even rival Sean O’Malley imparted. Mendez said, “You know, I’m kind of wondering why Merab’s avoiding Umar because before Umar was even, you know, uh, announced yesterday as the next contender, Merab was dismissing him already. People were talking, and he was saying Umar doesn’t deserve it, that he hadn’t fought anybody. And, you know, it’s all subjective who deserves what.”

He further called out Dvalishvili for believing that the #2 fighter who amassed a title shot after defeating Cory Sandhagen is not a deserving candidate. But according to the new champ, a fighter ranked three places below him is. “Because what I’m trying to say here, he’s talking about how he wants to fight Figueiredo because he’s a two-time whatever champ. But okay, if you’re looking at rankings, he’s ranked number five. So you’re telling me he hasn’t deserved it, but you want to fight the number fifth guy that’s ranked number fifth over the guy who’s ranked number two; who’s the next legit title contender?”

The reasoning provided by the new bantamweight champion hasn’t earned him any favors from the MMA faithful. The reason why O’Malley and Mendez are standing up is to make the Georgian realize the error. However, one who did not mince any words was Umar Nurmagomedov. He called out Dvalishvili for his double standards.

Umar Nurmagomedov bashes Merab Dvalishvili’s stance on fighting him

Umar Nurmagomedov launched a harsh criticism of Merab Dvalishvili. He challenged his recent comments about the legitimacy of the title opportunity of some contenders. In response to these claims, Nurmagomedov highlighted an apparent contradiction in Dvalishvili’s complaints. He recalled that Merab did not show any displeasure when his friend Ilia Topuria earned a title shot. Despite defeating only one opponent ranked in the top 5. According to Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili’s silence at the time reflects a lack of consistency in his current stance.

Nurmagomedov argues that if Merab truly believes that some contenders don’t deserve his title shot, he should have shown the same level of outrage when Topuria, who had not faced several of the top-ranked players, was given a championship fight. Nurmagomedov’s criticism highlights what he perceives as a double standard in Dvalishvili’s criticisms. Suggesting that his current objections for him lack foundation and consistency. What do you think? What should happen next in the bantamweight division title picture?