Umar Nurmagomedov tells Merab Dvalishvili to stop “crying” about him, as he prepares to face Song Yadong in Shanghai

Umar Nurmagomedov is in Shanghai preparing for a Saturday UFC bantamweight bout against Song Yadong, and the fight week conversation around him has already taken on a familiar theme: criticism and counter-criticism with Merab Dvalishvili.

According to Yahoo Sports, Nurmagomedov said he is tired of having to respond to what he views as Dvalishvili’s ongoing accusations of disrespect. The exchange, framed as Dvalishvili discussing Nurmagomedov’s behavior and attitude, has become one more pressure point in a division where big personalities and big output often travel together.

Nurmagomedov’s pushback is not just about the words themselves. In the UFC bantamweight landscape, talk tends to land hardest when it is paired with a clear on-ramp back to title contention, and he is explicitly treating the upcoming fight as a chance to keep momentum. Yahoo Sports reported that a win would put him on a three-fight win streak.

That matters because the bantamweight division has been competitive for years, with each successful run tightening the shortlist of challengers. Dvalishvili’s name has remained central to those title discussions as a high-volume wrestler and a constant presence in the rankings. Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, is positioning himself as the kind of opponent who cannot be pushed aside by public narratives, and the way he handles the Dvalishvili topic indicates that he wants control of the storyline.

The matchup with Song Yadong also places Nurmagomedov in a practical spotlight. Song is a known striker within the UFC’s deeper bantamweight mix, so the bout naturally carries questions about whether Nurmagomedov can dictate where the fight is decided. Even without leaning on speculative details, the pairing itself is a reminder that bantamweight contenders are built by versatility: being able to both survive and impose a plan as opponents shift between exchanges and grappling attempts.

Yahoo Sports’ report makes clear that Nurmagomedov is responding to a running dispute rather than a one-off misunderstanding. He is effectively demanding that Dvalishvili stop returning to the alleged disrespect angle and move on, while Nurmagomedov stays focused on the immediate objective in Shanghai.

Still, the most important element for viewers will be how much of this rivalry is reflected in behavior inside the Octagon once the opening bell comes. Public comments can shape perceptions, but fight-day execution is what ultimately changes rankings and rematches. If Nurmagomedov can extend his winning momentum, the public debate with Dvalishvili will likely fade into the background compared with the sport’s basic metric: results.

For now, the near-term watch is straightforward. Nurmagomedov will enter Saturday with a three-fight-win-streak scenario on his mind, while Dvalishvili remains a looming reference point for anyone trying to define the bantamweight pecking order. The division can tolerate rivalries, but it rarely rewards them if they do not convert into performances at the highest level.