UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili has decided not to have surgery after breaking his nose in a training accident. The 35-year-old shared the news on Instagram and explained his choice to fans.
The injury
Dvalishvili said he was kneed during a sparring session and that the blow broke his nose in two places. He posted a video to Instagram showing the injury and explaining the damage.
“What a good day and what a stupid accident,” Dvalishvili said in the video. He added that his nose is “f—ed up” and more cracked in the same direction as a previous break. He said one side of his nose is so damaged that he cannot breathe through it.
Medical advice and the decision
After getting X-rays, Dvalishvili learned the nose was broken in two places. A nose surgeon told him fixing it properly would require re-breaking other bones and a long recovery. The doctor said the full healing process could take about a year.
For an active fighter, that timeline was too long. Dvalishvili said he refused the surgery and also rejected the surgeon’s idea to delay the operation until after retirement. “I said, ‘I’m not going into retirement the next 20 years,'” he said. He plans to keep his nose as it is, even if it ends up more crooked than before.
Background and context
This is the second time Dvalishvili has broken his nose. He said the first break happened 12 years ago during his professional debut. The new injury has made the nose more crooked and has seriously blocked breathing on one side.
Dvalishvili is known for his busy fight schedule and his work ethic in the gym. He made his choice based on his desire to keep competing without a long layoff for recovery.
What comes next
Dvalishvili did not announce any fight dates or changes to his schedule after the injury. He made his decision public to be open with fans about the risks he takes as a fighter. He plans to continue training and competing while managing the injury without surgery for now.
Fans can watch his Instagram video for his full comments and to see the injury update directly from Dvalishvili.
