Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington's feud inspires Aljamain Sterling to 'never turn back' on 'brother' Merab Dvalishvili
Aljamain Sterling stated numerous times that he would never fight Merab Dvalishvili and recently gave everyone one more reason on Twitter.
Recently, video montages of the evolution of Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington's relationship have resurfaced on X/Twitter, causing many fans to react. Sterling likely gave the most heartfelt reaction, comparing the former friends to his bond with Dvalishvili.
Aljamain Sterling quote tweeted a video of Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, writing:
"This is actually pretty s*** to see how things went for these guys who were once good friends and training partners. Just a reminder why I would never turn my back on my brother, Merab, just for a few dollars and for the world's 'amusement.'"
The video highlights both Covington and Masvidal through flashbacks each fighter 'sees' while sizing each other up during their main event clash at UFC 272. The two are shown as close friends in each others' corners and houses before their rivalry begins.
The original video is captioned with four simple words reflecting every MMA fan's own belief, saying:
"This is actually sad"
The two Florida natives would eventually get involved in a lawsuit after Masvidal allegedly attacked Covington in public.
Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili's friendship
Despite being well-known friends, Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili notoriously upset Dana White by refusing to fight each other following the Georgian's statement win over Petr Yan.
Sterling, who at the time was the bantamweight champion, stated on his YouTube channel that one of his main motivations for moving up to featherweight was to allow Dvalishvili a chance to fight for the belt. Dvalishvili echoed his Serra Longo teammate in saying the two would never fight, regardless of the money involved.
After dominating Yan, Dvalishvili was ranked No. 1 in the UFC's bantamweight rankings. Sterling was then the champion after title wins over Yan, TJ Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo.
Since then, Sterling has lost the belt to Sean O'Malley and White decided to bypass Dvalishvili for the next title shot after 'The Machine' pushed for his teammate to get the rematch. O'Malley is currently scheduled to attempt his first title defense against Marlon Vera.