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Merab Dvalishvili, the top UFC bantamweight contender, has just offered his thoughts on the turmoil currently gripping his home country. The Georgia protests themselves have arisen in response to a proposed law approved by the Georgian parliament that could have a negative impact on independent news media.
The law proposes that any media-related and non-commercial organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad, non-Georgian sources, must register under a new category identifying them as being under foreign influence. This has sparked widespread criticism in Georgia.
Many, including Dvalishvili have spoken out against it, labeling such measures similar to Russia's alleged obstruction of independent media organizations, and that it could hinder Georgia's plans to become a member of the European Union.
"I want to respond to recent events in our homeland and express my opinion. Georgia is, and must be, a full member of the European family and civilization."
Dvalishvili's comments are not dissimilar from what other UFC fighters say in response to their own country's affairs. Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor has been, for example, extremely vocal with his opinions regarding Ireland's current sociopolitical landscape.
While Georgian, it is also worth noting that Dvalishvili recently became an American citizen, granting him dual citizenship. However, he has yet to comment on the United States' political landscape, and he kept his eyes squarely on the controversy gripping the country of his birth.
He does so while gearing up for an expected bantamweight title fight with his division's reigning kingpin, Sean O'Malley.
Merab Dvalishvili supported Ilia Topuria's attack on Paddy Pimblett for the latter's joke about the Russo-Georgian War
Perhaps the biggest controversy Paddy Pimblett has been embroiled in was when he joked about understanding why Russia invaded Georgia in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. This caused Ilia Topuria, who is Georgian by heritage, to attack him in a hotel, drawing Merab Dvalishvili's support, who praised 'El Matador.'
Pimblett's comments were made in response to a social back-and-forth with UFC lightweight and Georgian fighter Guram Kutateladze. This led to a wave of criticism from the promotion's Georgian fighters, finally forcing Pimblett to address his remarks.
