TLDR
- Merab Dvalishvili released a statement clarifying he has no personal issue with Islam Makhachev after UFC 330
- Dvalishvili was upset about Makhachev’s team bringing a Russian flag into the Octagon because he was never allowed his Georgian or American flags
- The Georgian fighter explained his issue is with Russian government politics, not Russian people or Makhachev
- Dvalishvili cited Russia’s occupation of 20 percent of Georgia and ongoing conflicts as reasons for his reaction
- Dvalishvili faces Petr Yan in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on October 24 for the bantamweight title
Sources: mmafighting.com | timesofindia.indiatimes.com
UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili has released a statement explaining his reaction to Islam Makhachev’s UFC 330 celebration, making it clear he has no personal issue with the welterweight champion.
Makhachev successfully defended his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330. After the victory, his team brought a Russian flag into the Octagon during the celebration.
Dvalishvili’s live reaction to the fight caught Makhachev’s attention. In a video to Russian reporters, Makhachev accused the Georgian fighter of being critical of his success.
On Wednesday, Dvalishvili posted a video statement on social media to address the controversy directly.
UFC Flag Policy and Double Standard
“I like Islam Makhachev. I think he’s a great and humble champion,” Dvalishvili said in his statement. “I respect all the hard work he has put into his career, I have nothing but respect for him.”
Merab Dvalishvili has no beef with Islam Makhachev
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— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 26, 2026
Dvalishvili explained that his reaction had nothing to do with Makhachev personally. Instead, he was upset about what he sees as unequal treatment.
“When I saw his team bring the Russian flag into the Octagon, I was upset,” he said. “And the reason I reacted that way is because, first, during all five of my UFC title fights, I was never allowed to bring my Georgian and American flag into the cage.”
The former bantamweight champion stressed that his issue runs deeper than UFC policy. He pointed to the history between Georgia and Russia as the main source of his frustration.
“I don’t hate Russian people. I hate Russian politics and Russian government,” Dvalishvili explained. “My problem is with the government and its action, not with ordinary Russian people.”
Political Tensions Behind the Reaction
Dvalishvili detailed specific grievances about Russian government actions. He said Russia currently occupies about 20 percent of Georgia.
“There has been history of war, occupation, suffering against my Georgian people,” he said. “Russia has also been responsible for terrible violence in Chechnya, and they are still killing people in Ukraine.”
The Georgian fighter criticized Russian media coverage of his comments. He accused Russian outlets of refusing to translate his statements honestly.
“The Russian media is always asking me provocative questions, but they will never translate this video honestly or show what I’m actually saying, because it doesn’t fit the narrative they want to create,” Dvalishvili said.
He also addressed the lack of freedom in Russia. “Reality is the Russian government is dictator and corruption. There is no freedom of speech and if you protest anything in Russia, you go to jail. This is the facts,” he said.
Dvalishvili made sure to emphasize his respect for people from the Caucasus region, where many of Makhachev’s teammates come from. “For me, the people of the Caucasus—Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and other parts of the region—have their own identities, cultures, and histories,” he said.
After returning to Dagestan, Makhachev told reporters he had seen Dvalishvili’s reaction video. “From the very beginning he wasn’t happy at all about my success in the Octagon, but I don’t pay attention to things like that,” Makhachev said.
Makhachev suggested that Petr Yan would silence Dvalishvili when they meet again. The two fighters are scheduled for a trilogy bout at UFC 333 on October 24.
Dvalishvili is set to compete for the bantamweight title again against Russia’s Petr Yan. While he has an ongoing feud with Makhachev’s training partner Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili stressed that this animosity does not extend to Makhachev himself.
“So again, this was never about Islam personally,” Dvalishvili concluded in his statement.
