Merab Dvalishvili reacts to UFC President Dana White’s warning about not fighting teammate Aljamain Sterling: “If he wants to do it, I will fight”

UFC bantamweight star Merab Dvalishvili has responded to a recent warning from Dana White about not fighting Aljamain Sterling.

On Saturday night, Merab Dvalishvili stepped out of the shadows in the bantamweight division. He dominated Petr Yan in the main event of the latest UFC Fight Night, cementing himself as a top contender at 135 pounds.

Alas, that doesn’t change the fact that he’s still best friends with Aljamain Sterling – the reigning champion. On multiple occasions, Merab has made it crystal clear that he doesn’t intend to fight Sterling.

Dana White, however, has recently warned him that this approach amounts to a bad idea.

In a recent interview, Dvalishvili responded to the boss.

“I did see this, and actually, that wasn’t the first time,” he said. “The first time he said it was after I beat Jose Aldo, and Joe Rogan asked me again, and I said very clear, ‘Please don’t ask me these questions again.’ I was mad, because right before the fight, people were asking me, ‘If you win, would you fight Aljo?’ I said, ‘Let me fight, let me win. Why are you asking me now?’ I was so over it, people asking the same question, and Aljo already had a booked fight. I said, true from my heart, and we met Dana White after, and he was talking to my coach [saying], ‘He should not mention that.’

Dvalishvili responds to White

“I understand business and everything, but Aljamain Sterling is my friend and my brother,” Dvalishvili said. “It’s all good. Aljo has a fight now. He’s fighting Henry Cejudo. I’m going to be back to the gym in about a week and I’m going to help him to prepare for Henry Cejudo. I think after that he will beat up O’Malley, and he said he’s planning to move up. If he wants to do it, I will fight [for the] title.”

“If they want me to fight Aljo, maybe they have to pay $10 billion,” Dvalishvili said. “Then yes, I’ll be ready.”

Quotes via MMA Fighting

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