Aljamain Sterling & Merab Dvalishvili react to Cory Sandhagen’s win vs. Marlon Vera | ESPN MMA

Megan Olivi interviews UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and contender Merab Dvalishvili backstage at #UFCSanAntonio after Cory Sandhagen defeated Marlon Vera in the main event. They also look ahead to Aljo’s UFC 288 title fight vs. Henry Cejudo.
#UFC #UFCSanAntonio #MMA
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[@poke9768]

Aljimain Sterling ft.His number one contender bodyguard

[@mattm8098]

It’s impossible for me to see it any other way anymore and I like both of them 😂

[@TroubleOnTheWaters]

lmfao literally

[@exotichuskykennels1356]

Aljo moving up merab will be the champion soon enough 💪🏼🏆

[@charlesdobronxcharlesdobro4660]

Merab can’t wait to sniff the dark chocolate crotch

[@katana_3558]

😂😂

[@swifty123]

A fighting champion who’s been beating all top contenders with a lot of heart and dedication, and Aljo Sterling.

[@brandonfreeman6517]

Aljo... best actor in the UFC

[@JohnJohn-yp7ex]

It’s funny how before he beat yan everyone hated Merab

[@Exbo9000]

@@JohnJohn-yp7ex UFC fans are the most fickle sports fans on planet Earth. They switch up more than the weather

[@devpal4718]

you can't be serious

[@jayyy2561]

​​​@@JohnJohn-yp7ex me and all my homies still hate merab. Merab is tailor made for a brutal sandman knee to the jaw with all those takedowns he tries. It's ok though cause Henry will dominate Aljo then dominate Merab if he gets past cory

[@Amzyy]

Aljo and Merab have a better relationship than most married couples lmao

[@exotichuskykennels1356]

There brothers fr

[@Brandon-hn3bh]

😂😂😂😂😂 brothers 🤫😉

[@blakegillan1903]

They are a married couple

[@techniquephysique]

😂

[@noah_s_selftapes5123]

💀😹

[@Hippiesaint]

We all need a friend like Merab

[@exotichuskykennels1356]

Facts can’t wait until merab is the champion 💪🏼 later this year I’m calling it now

[@Rick-bi9fw]

The Tag Team Champs we never knew we needed.

[@alcottdevalte7440]

If you exploit you friend, you'll surely get someone like Merab. But he is to be blamed for this. Friendship in combat sports is extremely stupid.

[@kenwahldhlamini8102]

​@alcott devalte true we saw this how this goes down.

[@lugabull]

For sure he as to be amazing and funny friend

[@IRidez]

They need to turn these 2 into like a tag team duo in WWE

[@Trotskers]

Bro they’re 5’6”

[@jaysonspann8042]

Aljo is gonna super kick Merab through a window like Shawn Michelas

[@jaysonspann8042]

Jon Comments like this fascinate. He is joking about a heel turn a thing in pro wrestling. And then you bring up their heights for no reason 😂😂 like what does that have to do with any of what he is talking about?

[@Trotskers]

@@jaysonspann8042 I'm not tall bro I just know Vince don't want us.

[@marvin469]

The Dodley brothers

[@tonioplease]

A lot of people hating on Aljo like he didn’t choke Sandhagen out in a minute lol

[@Alan-rw3ez]

The dude is a beast, just comes off as a shady and slimy guy, weasel like.

[@thecrow764]

Aljo know not to move up

[@SombreSnakePlissken]

Did you forget how he “Won” the belt? Via academy award so yea many people aren’t a fan.. They haven’t forgot nor will they. They also remember the fact Askren got to his feet quicker than Aljo did after being sent to Pluto ffs by street Judas 😅 .. so yea this isn’t the golden globes bud otherwise he’d be praised endlessly!

[@tonioplease]

@@SombreSnakePlissken Dominated the second fight tho, he over sold but why don’t you go take a knee to the temple lol

[@hybrid.catastrophic.impact6071]

@@SombreSnakePlissken Cope. He beat your boi Yan in the rematch.

[@DonRade]

Aljo the type of guy to befriend the best guy in the division so he cleans up all the contenders for him.

[@dahlinsile9911]

You do know aljo already beat sandhagen right?

[@RRP1992]

Merab is the type of friend we all need but not the type of friend we deserve.

[@deleted1070]

Vaive 😂

[@Jacobrossfitness]

Aljo and his bodyguard 😂

[@matrix35]

Aljo and his cuckhold

[@boxhbbb3530]

And his cuckold

[@katana_3558]

Aljo and his hit man😂😂😂 Merab be like aljo tell me which contender I should defeat next 😂😂😂

[@boxhbbb3530]

And his cuckold

[@mattm8098]

Even dressed the part of a bodyguard

[@uwotm8634]

It's still crazy impressive that Aljo submitted Cory in round 1. People hate on him for his fights with Petr but he's very good.

[@Perc3urry]

It’s cause most of these idiots bet on Petr both fights and lost money 😂😂

[@boonxdocks9880]

Agreed Aljo is a dog, very high class performer. Gotta respect it regardless of the nay sayers.

[@zakman9209]

This Merab is an absolute Gem What a true hearted guy in such a unclassy killer's sport

[@Fathom916]

Martial Arts is pretty classy. It is the epitome of athleticism.

[@zakman9209]

@@Fathom916 this is not martial arts this is mma, guy in underwear fighting in a cage, stop the casual talk

[@Fathom916]

@@zakman9209 mma stands for mixed martial arts

[@dollarmaster676]

@@zakman9209 mixed martial arts dummy casual 😂🤡

[@zakman9209]

@@dollarmaster676 mixed martial arts is not martial arts you little obese mommy's basement living fool 😅

[@pronay90]

Merab is kind of friend, we all wish but only few gets!! what a nice friendship ❤

[@johnboylan3832]

Yeah, I long to have someone I can take advantage as Sterling does to him.

[@briannnnn21]

Merab is the scariest matchup for anyone in the division, such a beast!

[@gavinmitchell4477]

Scariest really

[@johnboylan3832]

Yeah, I also have a phobia of men sniffing my groin.

[@easymoneysniper6347]

Umar enters the chat

[@quantum_beeb]

I love sandhagen but I’m afraid marab would ragdoll the s out of him. Aljo is lucky to have a training partner like him.

[@HiPolar]

I think Coreys frame will be a telling factor and could very well land some flush knees in one of those charges. He's got to catch him early though

[@mmredfs361]

Merabs wrestling is bad just has cardio

[@TrollNova]

Aljo is lucky to have an acting partner too

[@MikeySkywalker]

Why is it always that Aljo is lucky? Merab is lucky too. He says the only one who can beat him in the gym is Aljo.

[@thatindiandude4602]

​@@HiPolarand I think his long limbs are going to be a problem for Merab from the bottom.

[@like2jo4796]

We all definitely gonna witness a rivalry like Masvidal and Colby if you know you know

[@Andrei-sm3er]

Lmao, love the characters, they're like two gangster bros defending the top of the division. Two champs (both beat Yan)

[@JoeyCentral]

Yan would have beaten Aljo in first fight IF he didnt throw that illegal knee.

[@TrollNova]

They’re both drunk af you dunce

[@Talisman1337]

@@JoeyCentral shouldn't have thrown it then

[@AMC11329]

​@@JoeyCentral if buts maybes

[@MikeySkywalker]

@@JoeyCentral then he shouldn’t have tried to cheat. He lost. Because he cheated.

[@thrill_hill]

Respect the live between brother from different parts of the world. Iron sharpens Iron 🔥👊🏾🔥

[@GiorgiGachechiladze02]

Merab is like character of “Man in the panthers skin” epic medieval Georgian poem. That poem puts friendship above everything else, even king and it was written back in feudal times.

[@TheAntManChannel]

This is like a WWE tag team

[@Cheenouxiong-dh4xx]

Handicap ♿️ ♿️ ♿️ ♿️

[@Ar1AnX1x]

Aljo is huge for a 135er

[@voiceofreason1829]

135 are not men, they are kids

[@realkingrav2265]

@@voiceofreason1829 I’m 6’0 ft and weigh 120 more pounds than 135ers but no combat experience. I still believe I win.

[@kingk7884]

You wouldn't win, your ankle would get picked and snapped

[@latecore_]

​@@realkingrav2265 you're sadly mistaken, my friend

[@FelixIakhos]

​@@realkingrav2265 Everyone 'can' win, however it is extremely unlikely. If you have no technique you cannot hit hard, and you will be plotting and slow, especially against someone so much smaller. The only way it could go your way is if you were able to get your bodyweight on top of them.

[@alcottdevalte7440]

The 135, 155, and 170 division got the best elite grapplers. Malley, Sandhagen and Vera should move up to 145 once Alex retires or something.

[@MMA4LIFE]

The villain arc these two could create by facing each other would be epic. I do like seeing the respect between friends as well and commend them on trying to create a much harder double dragon arc where they clear two divisions.

[@adnan4739]

You think Sterling is going to clear Featherweight where he can’t weight bully anyone? Hmm.

[@bryanuhl124]

Aljo doesn’t have a prayer in regards to clearing featherweight.

[@luisgomez-jordanamartin4776]

you guys should give aljo some respect. Outside of volk, who is not getting outwrestle by aljo in that division?

[@robot9071]

@@luisgomez-jordanamartin4776 he's physically far weaker than everyone at top of 145. He won't beat anyone above kalvin katter

[@enigma372]

Aljo ain’t clearing nothing

[@hustleplastic4179]

Merab is humble but also an animal, I love humble fighters. I know they don't sell PPV's as much, but they are honorable warriors in the truest sense!

[@422Krazy]

Say what you will but i respect both their decisions to not fight each other. Real brotherhood. No money or piece of hardware can change that. Really looking forward to aljo vs cejudo. I got Cejudo round 4 tko.

[@jordanfortier3246]

It’s beautiful how respectful merab and aljo are to each other man just that alone is much better then seeing them fight I think merab will one day be champ when aljo desires to move up.

[@jordanfortier3246]

Merab: you’ll have to go threw me to get to Aljo.

[@xftbllplyr2091]

Even Burns and Luque said they will never fight. Some friendships can’t be understood by the bitter

[@mate-gs3gh]

exactly after all this fighting bs is done loyalty remains

[@devpal4718]

Its not that deep lmao. It just does weird things for the division and us as spectators are noting that.

[@worldview6218]

@@mate-gs3gh yeah I feel that, but it seems like that loyalty is only going one way. Aljo has had the belt for more then 2 years now or just about 2 years. He’s fought 3 times. He’s inactive. He’s also the younger of the two. He is a huge bw and cuts a lot to make bw, on top of being inactive and for a guy like Merab, at his age and where he’s at like this could be his one and only shot and sure he refuses to fight his friend, but his friend who has had superrr flukey oppurtunieis as a champion and years now to really get out there and make some money and fight like he really just has been inactive and if he was anywhere near as loyal of a friend as Merab, he wouldn’t make Merab his gatekeeper to a title fight and he’d move up to fw and vacate the title.

[@alcottdevalte7440]

Friendship in combat sports is extremely stupid. Just stops the potential and career of a fighter. Always one who gets the most beneficial reward. In this case, it's Sterling...

[@GoodStuff1992]

​@@worldview6218 aljo had neck surgery. he is tied for most bantamweight wins in mma history

[@ILoveGaza77]

Men of integrity! I love this friendship.🥰

[@Ar1AnX1x]

this is probably what it would be like if Islam was fighting contenders back when Khabib was champ

[@beastieking1]

Facts

[@luibond9418]

Couple of the year 😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@gregoreosRGV]

Merab the new ppls champ

[@cobuf8235]

Aljo has the best thing hes got his friend whos beating all of the contenders for him and wont fight him 😂

[@lloydchristmas6611]

The dork is strong with these two 🥸🤓

[@FamilyMan88]

Crazy, Merab is actually going to fight down the roster rather than take a title shot. I suppose if Cejudo wins it would clear things up.

[@Ar1AnX1x]

Merab's drip though he looks like he's about to do some sort of comedy sketch

[@jamesresendiz5018]

example both of them not being greedy and valuing their friendship more. When you fight for a living you surrender to all the outcomes that may happen. They aren't fighting each other because they are scared of one another but because they have honor. And that is rare.

[@ramirogaray3805]

Dude I'm from San Antonio and I live two streets down the at&t center where they were.Its so cool that people like Alja came Down 😊

[@Bravogod42090]

Aljo beats Henry, moves to 145,then his brother became champ at 135 vs cory.

[@Ashukesharwani]

Aljo said he wants sean o malley after henry

[@Bravogod42090]

@Ashukesharwani man smh,he runs through O'Malley imo.

[@Bravogod42090]

@Ashukesharwani hope he goes to 145 and his boy take the division over,if not they gotta fight.

[@Ashukesharwani]

@@Bravogod42090 he wants that o malley money before he leaves the division.

[@supersayon]

Sterling is the man @ 135 he should stay there as champ, he has no chance vs Volk

[@brandon-ls6td]

I didn’t realize how much I love merab! He’s the man!

[@frosty2.010]

Bro these two literally run the division

[@corymmarules7462]

That’s loyalty…👏🏾👏🏾🙏🏾

[@connorlooney586]

Fire and ice type duo, love these guys

[@TakeNoPrisoners]

Not everybody is willing to sacrifice the belt for friendship especially in prime time like Merabs in. Much respect brother, that’s what we miss nowdays, true friends who willing to take a loss for a friend!

[@shalikafernando6986]

It's true

[@boxhbbb3530]

Merab the cuckold

[@NotSoRandom_]

I just can’t sacrifice my own legacy for a friend like that just tarnishing your own career

[@johnboylan3832]

It seems only Merab is sacrificing something here.

[@Caliinthevalley]

Marobio the only one sacrificing that life changing paycheck here. He should fight him and still be friends nothing wrong with that. Just like kamaru vs burns, Pettis and Cerron the list goes on. Marobio making a big mistake here

[@amirashraf3079]

Haha lovely interview

[@abudujana13]

OMG! Look at the size of Sterling! He's massive!! Thanks for the video, ESPN MMA

[@rconn4501]

Merab needs to fight for the title next or after FOR SURE!

[@Fathom916]

Gotta love Merab

[@sanmanrane5444]

Got 2 love this Bros

[@adam-jm1gq]

Im convinced all the top 5 like each other and just put it on for ppvs

[@luislopez6315]

At first I thought this was an 80’s interview of actors in a buddy cop sitcom 🤣😂

[@ngatiwarrior6975]

Find you someone that looks at you like merab looks at aljo..

[@draco2xx]

merab pressure will be a lot for sandhagon to handle, let's see how good he does

[@pineappledojomma]

Aljo and Merab are good reps for the sport and division. Real friends real dudes

[@crazypato3752]

"You Got a friends in me, You Got a friend in me"-Merab to Aljo

[@JCMILL02]

I absolutely love this it’s like the real life wwe. He’s a heel with a bodyguard

[@Will_Lg]

Aljo is lucky that merab doesn’t want to fight him😂😂😂 what a humble man this merab, can’t wait to see gold around him🏅

[@matts6095]

Aljo the luckiest mma fighter ever. Blessed with the belt. Blessed with a split decision. Blessed with a 1 arm TJ 😂

[@jasonrick6148]

Blessed with having a hired mercenary like Merab being your best friend gatekeeping the stacked division for you.

[@C.K_MMA]

Love this dues

[@petersushkin]

- How dorky you wanna look guys? Aljo + Merab: - YASSSSSS!!!

[@GeorgetheGreat]

Merab standing there like a bodyguard for the heel champion

[@BasicCat]

Aljo has his own Gatekeeper thats sick

[@thedevil9704]

I thik they can beat usos and become new tag team champions

[@zxcvbnmmasdfghjkl]

Respect on the double dragons shoutout

[@franklinosahene-koffi364]

merab is the man

[@DelfinWarrior]

Merab is good training preparation for Henry

[@katelyn9182]

This whole situation worked out very well 👍🏻 Can’t wait to see Cory and Merab!!

[@jayyy2561]

Merab "The Bodyguard" Dvalishvili

[@alexvasquez7036]

We’re they holding hands while watching the main event ?

[@jaimeblanco7568]

Put them both on the the same card together, main and co main.

[@malcolnin]

If roles were reversed aljo would throw merab under a bus

[@kararal9834]

Doubt it tbh . Stay mad tho

[@shawn1000ful]

Where are u even getting that idea from , your a weirdo for just creating narratives out of nowhere .

[@malcolnin]

Who said I’m mad? I just know aljo is a snake.

[@Suplex479]

Nah, they brothers

[@malcolnin]

@@Suplex479 sure they are.

[@sammyflinders]

Merab gatekeeping those PPV points for Aljo like a good boi.

[@Shareefhamida]

That duo pushes eachother to heights

[@JnoEL1]

Merab is as loyal as they come, can't be mad at dude

[@AntJonez218]

Merab is basically like the interim champion and I feel like since he won't fight aljo the only way people should earn a title shot is if they beat merab. "To get to the champ you have to go through me" lol that's how I look at him lol.

[@ericyoutube77]

I’ve never seen bantamweight so stacked before

[@briantsang]

I have never seen someone so happy to be number 2 in my life

[@SkeetWeezy]

Serra Longo is insane for creating 2 beasts at the pinnacle of 135

[@voiceofreason1829]

Aljo in Hollywood

[@jijihermit3035]

Best power couple

[@mahmoudghandour3981]

Merab "As a fighter I respect him" Dvalishvili

[@lixmedina]

get yourself a loyal friend like Merab..

[@HousemixPlay]

It’s the guy who put on a magnificent acting performance for a belt against Yan oh yeah I remember him

[@shazbazzy]

Merab lookin devious

[@wade5761]

Aaahhhh matching sunglasses inside. That was sooo cool in 1970

[@stairwaytosev3n]

Never seen someone so happy to play Robin.

[@adamkoe1334]

Merab the G holding his boy down

[@demianmaurer9374]

Truer words havn't been spooken that night, Aljo the KING.

[@NotoriousWealth]

The ufc tag team champions😂

[@pepe7drum]

This duo is underrated

[@muriscixe9609]

People should appreciate them

[@Himothy369]

If the UFC had tag team champions

[@getitg6652]

Everybody needs a friend like Merab

[@trynottooverthinkit]

This situation reminds me eerily of Tito and Chuck back in the day. Chuck did the exact same thing that Merab is doing now, and looked at how that turned out.

[@SH-zf7in]

aljo got a great gate keeper on his side i feel like there will be some tension between them if aljo beats cejudo then won't move to 145 like he said

[@bryantperez4786]

Let's be honest... Merab absolutely destroys Aljo in training, and he's being nice by not taking his friends belt.

[@hybrid.catastrophic.impact6071]

He said Aljo has beaten him in training often.

[@bryantperez4786]

@@hybrid.catastrophic.impact6071 he's just saying that to be nice lol

[@rjesh2062]

He won his championship via Academy Awards - TripleC

[@kareem691]

Mike Tyson once said if your friends you fight each other cos they owe it to each other because they know they need money 💰❤

[@clarkspacewayne2672]

We need a tag team division

[@zacheryjackson]

The best decision is not to fight each other because than if someone beats one the other can get revenge.

[@philrodgers2167]

Sterling is huge for the division