Merab Dvalishvili’s leg was in dangerous form at UFC 311, not that anybody appeared to note.
Someway, Dvalishvili not solely efficiently defended his bantamweight title with a spectacular five-round efficiency in opposition to Umar Nurmagomedov in Saturday’s co-main occasion, he additionally managed to cover a wounds which may have prevented him from competing in any respect.
On the night’s post-fight press convention, Dvalishvili confirmed the media proof of two cuts on his proper leg and he adopted that up with a social media submit on Monday displaying how they appeared previous to battle week.
Merab Dvalishvili exhibits off the accidents he was coping with heading into #UFC311:
“In November I received huge cuts on my leg. … It was taking so lengthy to heal up after which it received contaminated.” pic.twitter.com/ORT7mC4Ycy
— MMA Combating (@MMAFighting) January 19, 2025
Click on previous first slide to see photos and video of Dvalishvili’s bloody wounds.
Dvalishvili appeared on The Ariel Helwani Present on Monday to additional talk about the damage, revealing that he really needed to pull a trick on the fee to verify he can be cleared to battle.
That is completely loopy
Merab talks getting cleared by CSAC with the reduce on his leg forward of UFC 311.
“I used to be nervous the fee was not going to let me battle… California has a really strict fee… The commision man requested me to indicate me him my shin, so I lifted my… pic.twitter.com/MqNG2bIn3o
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 20, 2025
“I used to be doing cardio coaching on the steps and I hit the steps with my shin,” Dvalishvili mentioned.
“The reduce was nonetheless open and it was taking so lengthy to heal up and it lastly closed now in battle week,” he continued. “I used to be nervous the fee was not going to let me battle. I used to be doing every part, placing lotions on daily basis, doing therapeutic massage, and all of the therapies, and really California has a really strict fee. They test every part, my physique, and Thursday I had pants on and the fee requested me to indicate him my leg, my shin. I lifted my left leg pants and confirmed him the chin and he stored speaking, the second time he requested me to indicate him my different leg, I confirmed once more left leg and he didn’t know there was a reduce.
“Who is aware of? Possibly I can move. However I used to be nervous. It seems recent, but it surely’s been a longtime reduce.”
