Merab
Dvalishvili has clarified that he has no bad blood with
Islam
Makhachev despite what the latter believes.

The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder
addressed recent comments from Makhachev after the welterweight
champ appeared to accuse Dvalishvili of being unhappy with his
success after he defended his title against Ian Garry at
UFC
330.

Merab Dvalishvili explains what really upset him after Islam
Makhachev’s UFC 330 win

Dvalishvili explained on social media that his frustration with
Makhachev’s victory at UFC 330 was directed at the latter’s team
bringing a Russian flag into the Octagon, rather than at the
champion himself.

“I like Islam Makhachev,†Dvalishvili wrote on X. “I think he's a
great and humble champion. I respect all the hard work he has put
into his career, I have nothing but respect for him. But when I saw
his team bring the Russian flag into the Octagon, I was upset. And
the reason I reacted that way is because, first during all five of
my UFC title fights, I was never allowed to bring my Georgian or
American flag into the cage.â€

Dvalishvili further clarified that his problem is with Russian
politics, rather than people from the country.

“Second reason for me, this is very personal because of what
Russian politics and the Russian government have done to my
country,†Dvalishvili added. “Russia occupies around 20% of
Georgia, and there has been a history of war, occupation, and
suffering against my Georgian people. Russia has also been
responsible for terrible violence in Chechnya, and they are still
killing people in Ukraine today. I also want to make one thing very
clear: I don't hate Russian people. I hate Russian politics and the
Russian government. My problem is with the government and its
actions, not with ordinary Russian people.â€

Dvalishvili also accused Russian media of portraying his comments
unfairly.

“The Russian media is always asking me provocative questions, but
they will never translate this video honestly or show what I'm
actually saying, because it doesn't fit the narrative they want to
create,†he concluded. “There is no freedom of speech and if you
protest anything in Russia you go to jail. This is facts.â€

This comes amid growing tension between Dvalishvili and the
Dagestani team, with Umar
Nurmagomedov claiming that their rivalry is personal.

I like Islam
Makhachev. I think he's a great and humble champion. I respect
all the hard work he has put into his career, I have nothing but
respect for him.
But when I saw his team bring the Russian flag into the Octagon, I
was upset. And the reason I reacted that way is… pic.twitter.com/sdUd8fsr97

— Merab “The Machine†Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil)
August 26, 2026

Tyson
Fury has admitted he did not take Francis
Ngannou seriously, a mindset that nearly cost him the
fight.

Fury faced Ngannou in October 2023 in the latter’s professional
boxing debut. Despite being knocked down by a powerful punch in the
third round, Fury recovered to edge Ngannou by split decision over
10 rounds.

Francis Ngannou knocked Fury down after the heavyweight
dismissed the bout as an exhibition

In a recent interview with ALF Global, Fury admitted he was
underprepared for his bout with Ngannou. He explained that he
viewed the matchup more as an exhibition than a serious fight.

“No, I didn't train for him because I didn't think he was a good
fighter,†Fury said. “I knew he was a good fighter, but to me it's
levels to boxing.â€

Fury explained that he viewed the matchup differently because the
former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champ doesn't have any boxing
credentials or accolades. The Englishman also discussed Ngannou's
mindset going into the fight.

“When you do an exhibition fight, play, it wasn't really a fight,
do you understand what I'm saying?†Fury said. “It wasn't, in my
mind, a fight; it's just an exhibition, a game. To him, to Ngannou,
it was, ‘Ah, big fight, I fight Tyson Fury!' To me, it was play, a
game, you know what I mean?â€

Fury is rumored to be taking on Anthony
Joshua later this year, with negotiations still underway
regarding the date and location.

Rafael dos
Anjos claims multiple surgeries forced his long hiatus.

The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder returns
to the Octagon after nearly two years against Alexander
Hernandez at UFC 332 on
Oct. 3 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The Brazilian suffered a
90-second stoppage loss after injuring his left knee in his last
outing against Geoff Neal in
October 2024.

Rafael dos Anjos details the knee surgeries that threatened his
UFC career

In a recent interview, dos Anjos revealed that he has since
undergone three surgeries on his left knee. A doctor in Brazil
initially stitched up his meniscus, which apparently was a big
mistake. He again tore his meniscus after a few months and
underwent surgery in Austin, Texas, in the U.S.

However, the American doctor allegedly left some stitches inside
dos Anjos' knee, which subsequently led to inflammation. The former
champ then went under the knife for the third time earlier this
year. He admits that the thought of hanging up his gloves has
crossed his mind in the meantime. However, the 41-year-old notes
that he hasn't been dominated in his losses and wants to give it
one more shot.

“I had three surgeries back-to-back,†dos Anjos told Ariel Helwani.
“After the Geoff Neal
fight, I had meniscus surgery, and the doctor in Brazil made a
mistake. He actually tried to stitch up my meniscus, which was a
terrible mistake. Four or five months after the surgery, my
meniscus tore again, so I had to redo it. I had to have the
meniscus removed, and the doctor in Austin, Texas, left a couple of
stitches inside my knee, believe it or not. It was causing
inflammation. I couldn't get full extension, and then I had surgery
for the third time at the beginning of this year. For a second, I
thought, ‘Man, this is it.' But looking at my results, I'm coming
from losses, but I haven't been dominated. I want to give it a
chance. I still have four more fights on my contract.â€

Now healthy, dos Anjos (32-17) will look to rebound from a
three-fight skid against Hernandez (18-9), who is coming off a loss
against Rafa Garcia
that snapped a four-fight winning streak.

Rafael dos
Anjos reveals he's undergone three surgeries since his last UFC
appearance in October of 2024:

“I had three surgeries back-to-back. After the Geoff Neal
fight, I had meniscus surgery, and the doctor in Brazil made a
mistake. He actually tried to stitch up my meniscus,… pic.twitter.com/m69MVGqzRO

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani)
August 26, 2026