At UFC 311, Merab Dvalishvili made history by ending Umar Nurmagomedov’s undefeated 18-fight streak with a combination of ungodly pace, stellar gas tank, and strategy. In addition to this, what shocked fans even more was the fact that the 135lbs kingpin was fighting with a significant injury on his right shin, which had a large cut. You might be wondering how the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) cleared the Georgian juggernaut to enter the cage with such an injury.

In a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show, Dvalishvili shared how he outsmarted the commission: “I was worried the commission wouldn’t let me fight… California has a very strict commission. The guy asked me to show him my shin, so I lifted my left leg pant to show him my shin. He kept talking and then asked to see my other leg. So, I showed him my left leg again, and he never noticed the cut,” the 135lbs champ explained. This wasn’t the first time ‘The Machine’ fought with injuries. Throughout his career, he has consistently fought through injuries and surgeries.

Today, Dvalishvili’s head coach, John Wood, confirmed to Submission Radio that the Georgian sustained a leg injury after it was struck by a “bleacher.” Wood revealed that throughout the entire fight camp, he was unable to use that leg. Another noteworthy incident occurred at UFC 306 last year, when, just weeks before his title fight with Sean O’Malley, Dvalishvili suffered a cut above his eye. The situation went viral when ‘The Machine’ posted on social media showing that he had cut his own stitches before the fight, a “silly” move that even caused Dana White to lose his temper.

In the same year, the Georgian also underwent surgery before facing two-division champion Henry Cejudo. Despite these injuries, he remained unfazed and went on to win those fights. However, this raises the question: Why did Merab Dvalishvili decide to jump onto the fight card with an injury that was still in the healing process?

Why did Merab Dvalishvili fight at UFC 311 with an injury?

January wasn’t part of Merab Dvalishvili’s original plan for a return. Initially, he had set his sights on February or March as his timeline to defend his title for the first time against Umar Nurmagomedov. However, the pressure from Dana White and Nurmagomedov, who, despite recovering from an arm injury of his own, continuously pushed ‘The Machine’ for a title shot, ultimately leading him to step up. Ironically, this broken hand injury proved to be a major decisive factor in their eventual bout.

In a pre-fight interview with The Schmo on YouTube, Merab Dvalishvili revealed his original return timeline. “This fight in January wasn’t my original plan—I wanted to fight in March. But since I’m fighting in January, I still want to fight in March and April. Whoever will be ready for March, you know, they’ll have a fight in Vegas, and I would love to fight there.” However, when ‘The Machine’ heard that “UFC needs” him, he jumped on the January card and was ready to fight.

How do you rate Merab Dvalishvili’s performance against Umar Nurmagomedov? Was it his best showing despite being injured, or did his performance against former champion Sean O’Malley last year stand out more? Share your thoughts below.