Dana White unsure how to handle Merab Dvalishvili’s fan altercations

During UFC 310 fight week, UFC CEO Dana White found himself dealing with multiple incidents involving Merab Dvalishvili and is uncertain about how to manage his behavior moving forward.

Security had their hands full with the bantamweight champion in Las Vegas. Before the UFC 311 on-sale press conference, Dvalishvili was separated from his upcoming title challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov, after a heated argument backstage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

To prevent any further issues, Dvalishvili was seated farther away than usual on stage during the news conference, which also featured UFC 311 headliners Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan. At the event, there were shouting matches between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov, typical of fight promotion.

However, after Dvalishvili’s teammate Aljamain Sterling lost to Movsar Evloev on the UFC 310 prelims, Dvalishvili, who was a cornerman for Sterling, had another run-in with security due to an altercation with a fan. Another teammate, cornerman, and fellow UFC fighter, Dennis Buzukja, was also involved and seen punching the fan in a video before being pulled away.

White addressed Dvalishvili’s temperament, hinting at the need for accountability. He compared Dvalishvili to Sean Strickland and expressed uncertainty about how to handle the situation moving forward.

White mentioned the potential financial cost of such incidents, hinting at possible consequences for Dvalishvili. The UFC has not announced any fines or charges pressed by the fan. MMA Junkie reached out to UFC officials for clarification but has not received a response.

White emphasized the challenges of dealing with unexpected incidents involving fighters, citing an incident with Nate Diaz throwing a water bottle at Islam Makhachev. He pointed out that there are many unseen challenges in the fight business.

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