Former UFC champion breaks nose in wrestling match and declares: 'Everything is fine'

Merab Dvalishvili fractured his nose in victory against Frankie Edgar in RAF 9. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

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Even though he's been away from the octagon since the end of last year, Merab Dvalishvili He continues to find ways to get a little adrenaline, even if it costs him his physical integrity. The former UFC bantamweight champion (up to 61,2 kg) was in action last Saturday to compete with Frankie Edgar In a wrestling match at RAF 09, and despite winning, he also left the mat with a physical reminder of the former lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg): a broken nose. He explained the situation in an interview with the American website 'MMA Junkie'.

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The Georgian spoke about the matter shortly after leaving the fight. Animated and good-humored as usual, "The Machine" didn't treat the injury with much concern and made it clear that fractures in his nose will not be enough to prevent him from continuing to compete.

“My nose was fine before, but I took a headbutt and broke it (again). Who cares? I’ve broken my nose several times already. This will never stop me. It’s just a broken nose. It’s what we do and it’s all right,” said Merab, known for suffering impact injuries.

Merab Dvalishvili's reaction to breaking his nose at RAF 09 is exactly what you'd expect. 😆 pic.twitter.com/BSnn2VrPl0

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 31, 2026

As reported by the fighter himself, this was not the first time he had suffered injuries to his nose. There less than two months, He took to social media to reveal a serious fracture, which would require complex surgery for a full recovery. Far from wanting a break from competitions, he decided to put the problem aside.

Merab wants to fight for the UFC title again.

Merab and Yan have a tense face-off at the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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Holding the record for most takedowns in the organization's history, the Georgian fighter became known for his high frequency in the world's most famous octagon. During his reign, he made history by becoming the first fighter to compete in title fights four times within a 12-month period. However, now he finds himself forced to wait. Petr yan to return to action. The two dueled on two occasions, with one victory for each side.

Regarding the matter, Merab has shown a willingness to continue competing in wrestling to stay active until the opportunity for the trilogy becomes a reality.

"I like to be busy. As you know, I'm ready for the fight. I'm just waiting for..." Petr yanI hope he comes back. I just saw that he's on vacation now. I like to be busy and thank you, RAF,” he concluded.