Dana White Reacts to Dvalishvili’s UFC 310 Altercations
Dana White addressed Merab Dvalishvili’s altercation with a spectator at the event after the bantamweight champion had cornered Aljamain Sterling. White compared Dvalishvili to Sean Strickland and warned that fighting with fans could cost him money, while describing the episode as part of a pattern of confrontations.
The arena incident
On Dec. 7, 2024, Dvalishvili was leaving the arena after cornering Sterling, who had just lost to Movsar Evloev, when an argument with a spectator escalated. Security separated Dvalishvili from the spectator. MMA Fighting reported that the spectator then exchanged punches with Sterling’s coach Dennis Buzukja. The published footage and reports do not establish that Dvalishvili himself traded punches with the fan. MMA Fighting’s report covered White’s response at the post-event press conference.
What White said
White called Dvalishvili his “mini-[Sean] Strickland. Without the mouth,” then said fighters could not keep fighting with spectators because it would cost them money. He also said Dvalishvili had been moved away from Umar Nurmagomedov and other people at the event to reduce the chance of another confrontation.
White said the incident was not Dvalishvili’s first. He referred to a separate confrontation at the Craig Jones Invitational in August 2024 and recalled having to watch Dvalishvili during the promotion’s January 2025 kickoff press conference, where a spectator heckled him. These were distinct episodes, rather than additional incidents that weekend.
Discipline was not announced
White did not announce a specific fine or suspension at the press conference. At the time, MMA Fighting noted that the Nevada State Athletic Commission could review the incident because Dvalishvili was licensed as a cornerman. That possibility was not a disciplinary decision.
The title fight ahead
When White spoke, Dvalishvili was scheduled to defend his bantamweight title against Nurmagomedov on Jan. 18, 2025. White said he did not believe the confrontations meant either fighter was trying to avoid the matchup. The bout went ahead, with Dvalishvili retaining the title by unanimous decision, according to the official scorecards.
Conclusion
White’s remarks combined a warning about the financial risks of fighting spectators with a joking comparison to Strickland. The episode involved an argument with a spectator and security intervention; the separate exchange of punches involved the spectator and coach Dennis Buzukja. White announced no penalty during his press conference.
