Dvalishvili Clears Air On Makhachev Flag Display

Merab Dvalishvili has addressed his reaction to Islam Makhachev's corner displaying the Russian flag inside the Octagon following UFC 330.

The bantamweight champion took to social media to clarify his feelings about the lightweight titleholder, making clear his objection was to the flag itself rather than the fighter. "I like Islam Makhachev. I think he's a great and humble champion. I respect all the hard work he has put into his career, I have nothing but respect for him," Dvalishvili wrote, per Sherdog. "But when I saw his team bring the Russian flag into the Octagon, I was upset."

Why Dvalishvili Reacted To Russian Flag

The Georgian fighter did not elaborate further on the specific reasons behind his displeasure with the flag display in his statement. Dvalishvili has been vocal about his Georgian heritage throughout his UFC career, and Georgia's complicated history with Russia has occasionally surfaced in mixed martial arts contexts when fighters from the region compete.

Makhachev retained his lightweight title at UFC 330 and his team celebrated inside the cage afterward. The Russian flag has been a point of contention at UFC events since the promotion moved away from displaying national flags at weigh-ins and official faceoffs in recent years, though fighters and their corners still bring flags into the Octagon during post-fight celebrations.

Dvalishvili defends his bantamweight title next against Umar Nurmagomedov, though no date has been announced for that contest.

Source: sherdog.com