Merab Dvalishvili walks back on his stance of “never fighting” his friend Aljamain Sterling

Merab Dvalishvili is walking back on his stance of ‘never fighting’ his friend Aljamain Sterling.

It was Dvalishvili (16-4 MMA) who said, back in September of 2021, prior to his TKO victory over Marlon Moraes (23-13 MMA) at UFC 266:

“One thing is for sure: we’re never going to fight. Me and Aljo, we’re never going to fight each other.”

Dvalishvili and Sterling (23-4 MMA) have been training partners and friends for years.

However, it was during a recent interview on ‘The MMA Hour’ with Ariel Helwani, that Merab Dvalishvili appeared to walk that sentiment back saying:

“UFC never offered Aljo or me to fight each other. I don’t understand why they complain to us (about) not fighting. Yes, of course I say I don’t wanna fight Aljo, and I don’t wanna fight Aljo. But if UFC offered fight, and UFC maybe offered good money, and we are maybe in a situation where there is no one else that we can fight, then maybe me and Aljo, we sit like always and maybe we can fight.”

Continuing the 32-year-old said Merab Dvalishvili (h/t MMANews):

“But now they make a big deal, like, Aljo is always booked. Aljo versus Petr Yan, then next TJ Dillashaw, after Henry Cejudo, and then they make him come back quick and give him (Sean) O’Malley. They never offered myself! They never offered me Aljo. I don’t understand why people complain. Of course I don’t wanna fight Aljo, like I said. But like Aljo said in one of his interviews, if UFC offered money, yeah, maybe we fight if there is no one else.”

So there you have it, it sounds like should the UFC put a lucrative offer on the table, we could see ‘The Machine’ fight ‘Funk Master’.

Is that a fight you would pay to see?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!