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Merab Dvalishvil recently defeated former UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan in the main event of UFC Fight Night 221.
The victorious Dvalishvili has refused to fight friend and teammate, UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling, and Dvalishvili believes his refusal to fight Sterling has led to the UFC from having him fight higher level opponents.
“Actually, that wasn’t first time. First time, he said that — it was after I beat José Aldo,” he said on The MMA Hour (transcript via Milan Ordonez of Bloody Elbow). “We met Dana White after, and he was talking (to) my coach, like I should not mention that. And after that, matchmaker Sean Shelby was saying he cannot give me O’Mallley fight, he cannot give me Chito Vera, he cannot give me Cory Sandhagen, or even Petr Yan. Because if I beat them, and then I’m not fighting my friend (for the) title, and I understand business. And I was so sad that (there) was no fight for me. Luckily, Petr pushed the fight, and they give me this Petr fight. And I’m happy, and I appreciate it.”
Dvalishvili has spent over five years competing in the UFC and UFC Fight Night 221 was his first main event appearance in the promotion.
While Dvalishvili does plan to fight for the bantamweight gold one day, it will have to wait until Sterling moves up a weight class.
“Yeah, I understand business, everything, but Aljamain Sterling is my friend and my brother. It’s all good, man. Aljo has a fight now, he’s fighting Henry Cejudo. I’m gonna be back to the gym in about a week, and I’m gonna help him to preparation with Henry Cejudo. And I think after that, he will beat up O’Malley and he say he planning to move up. If he wants to do it, (then) I will fight (for the) title,” says Dvalishvili.
