{"id":37853,"date":"2026-04-21T16:06:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Merab-Dvalishvili-explains-why-he-wont-wrestle-Umar-Nurmagomedov-200911"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:06:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:06:13","slug":"merab-dvalishvili-explains-why-he-wont-wrestle-umar-nurmagomedov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/merab-dvalishvili-explains-why-he-wont-wrestle-umar-nurmagomedov\/","title":{"rendered":"Merab Dvalishvili explains why he won\u2019t wrestle Umar Nurmagomedov"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Merab
\nDvalishvili<\/a> doesn\u2019t want any fun and games with Umar
\nNurmagomedov<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Dvalishvili was scheduled to wrestle Henry
\nCejudo<\/a> at RAF 8 last weekend. However, Cejudo was forced out
\ndue to an injury just hours before the bout. Dvalishvili was later
\nasked if he would be interested in a wrestling match against former
\nopponent Umar
\nNurmagomedov<\/a>. However, Dvalishvili shut down the idea, citing
\nthe beef between them. <\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dvalishvili explains that while his job is fighting in MMA,
\nwrestling matches are fun to him. However, Dvalishvili doesn\u2019t want
\nto do anything for fun with Nurmagomedov as he feels disrespected
\nby the Dagestani.<\/p>\n

No Fun Allowed<\/h2>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this guy, because he disrespect me,\u201d Dvalishvili
\ntold Adam Zubayraev<\/a>. \u201cMy job is to fight.
\nWhoever the
\nUFC<\/a> gives me, I will fight. UFC gives me [Umar], I will fight.
\nWrestling is for fun. I\u2019ll never do fun matchup against this guy.
\nBecause it\u2019s not fun for me, it\u2019s real.\u201d <\/p>\n

Dvalishvili\u2019s (21-5) beef with Nurmagomedov (20-1) started
\nfollowing his bantamweight title win over Sean O\u2019Malley in 2024.
\nThe then-unbeaten Nurmagomedov immediately started calling for a
\ntitle shot against Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili kept turning down
\nNurmagomedov, saying the Dagestani was receiving favors because of
\nhis cousin, the legendary Khabib
\nNurmagomedov<\/a>. However, Dvalishvili eventually accepted the
\nmatchup and successfully defended his title, handing Nurmagomedov
\nhis lone professional defeat so far.<\/p>\n

Dvalishvili has always accused Nurmagomedov of disrespecting him.
\nHowever, \u201cThe Machine\u201d openly expresses his respect for
\nNurmagomedov\u2019s teammates, Khabib and Islam
\nMakhachev<\/a>. The reason behind Dvalishvili\u2019s grouse against
\nNurmagomedov remains slightly unclear, as the Dagestani barely
\ntrash-talked, barring the occasional ducking accusations. <\/p>\n