Fans were surprised by the intense pre-fight press conference, especially with UFC 311 still a month away. The event is already shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated cards, promising a perfect kickoff for UFC in 2025. During the recent press conference, fans witnessed a fiery exchange among the fighters. Merab Dvalishvili delivered another hilarious mic moment, leaving the crowd in splits. However, his remarks didn’t sit well with Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, prompting Makhachev to fire back with a sharp response.
Dvalishvili is set to defend his bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov, marking the first title defense for “The Machine.” The drama that had been brewing on social media spilled over into the press conference. During the event, the Georgian fighter interrupted when a reporter asked Umar, known as “The Young Eagle,” about his favorite moment with the lightweight champion.
Before Umar could respond, Dvalishvili jumped in, repeatedly yelling, “Jacuzzi!”—a reference to an old photo. This didn’t sit well with Islam Makhachev, who advised Dvalishvili not to tarnish the image of the belt. The lightweight champion addressed him during the press conference, saying:
“Hey I want to say just one thing. Merab I don’t have nothing for you. Just respect. But don’t make the belt look bad… When you have some real contender just fight…”
A reporter asked Umar Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev what their best moment together is:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 7, 2024
Merab: "How about jacuzzi, jacuzzi!"
Islam: "You can come."
Umar: "I was not there." 😭
🎥 @UFC #UFC311 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/WaMA7kA5pu
Paulo Costa Reacts To Merab Dvalishvili’s ‘Jacuzzi’ Remark At UFC 311 Presser
UFC middleweight star Paulo Costa, known for his humorous social media posts, seized the chance to poke fun at Team Khabib and Khabib Nurmagomedov over their infamous Jacuzzi photo. Costa also compared two pictures of Khabib, one showing the former lightweight champion with a woman at a distance and the other from the old Jacuzzi image.
How take pic with woman , how take pic with man’s .
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 14, 2023
🙏 wise man pic.twitter.com/xvJVmV06oh
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Dvalishvili’s comments have certainly caught the attention of UFC stars. Meanwhile, the bantamweight title fight between Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov is shaping up to be a major highlight for fans. Some are even suggesting that this fight might overshadow the main event between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title. Only time will tell which fight generates more hype.
