Merab Dvalishvili came out as the new bantamweight champion after his victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. Being the champion isn’t easy, and title contender Umar Nurmagomedov is already asking for his title shot. The rivalry between both fighters has now taken a serious turn, with lightweight champion Islam Makhachev getting involved.
During the post-fight presser, Merab Dvalishvili was asked about his upcoming potential opponent, Umar Nurmagomedov. While discussing it, Dvalishvili mocked the undefeated Dagestani, saying that Nurmagomedov was not real Russian. Dvalishvili was insinuating the real-world problems between Russia and Georgia. As expected, this comment didn’t sit well with Islam Makhachev.
[Merab] lives in America. He has no clue what he’s talking about. Dagestan is a part of Russia. Of course, He’s just playing mind games. But I think Umar will answer all those questions inside the cage.
Islam Makhachev via Ushatayka
Umar Nurmagomedov became a top bantamweight title contender by defeating Cory Sandhagen last month. However, Dvalishvili never credited Nurmagomedov for his success. The Georgian star believed Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s influence helped Nurmagomedov to become a top name.
Dvalishvili doesn’t think Nurmagomedov deserves the title shot and instead wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo as his first title defense. His frustration was clear when he chose to walk out mid-interview. However, Nurmagomedov has no intentions of giving up just yet.
Merab Dvalishvili dominantly performed at UFC 306 and dismantled Sean O’Malley for five rounds. The Georgian fighter had to wait a long time for this opportunity and fought several tough opponents in his title run. On the contrary, Umar Nurmagomedov beat Cory Sandhagen and immediately made a huge jump in the rankings.
Umar Nurmagomedov taunts Merab Dvalishvili over his friend Ilia Topuria (via X/Imago)Merab Dvalishvili doesn’t like this and believes it’s unfair. His argument is that Deiveson Figueiredo has three top-15 victories at bantamweight. However, Nurmagomedov has now provided a reply.
Dvalishvili’s friend, Ilia Topuria also fast-tracked his way to the featherweight title shot. In a recent tweet, Nurmagomedov made sure to point out the same;
When Merab’s friend, Topuria fought for the title, after 6 consecutive wins, and beating only one top 5 ranked opponent Josh Emmet, I don’t remember that Merab was desperately protesting against such ‘unfairness’.
Umar Nurmagomedov via X
When Merab’s friend, Topuria fought for the title, after 6 consecutive wins, and beating only one top 5 ranked opponent Josh Emmet, I don’t remember that Merab was desperately protesting against such ‘unfairness’. 👀
— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) September 16, 2024
In every argument, context matters. There was no other contender in the featherweight division at the time other than Ilia Topuria. A fourth Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway fight made no sense. As such, Topuria received the title shot after battering Josh Emmet for all five rounds. An argument can be made that Umar Nurmagomedov is not the clear-cut contender, and Figgy has a case for a title shot as well.
Umar Nurmagomedov previously talked about Sean O’Malley getting a boost by defeating Petr Yan. UFC is a competitive sport where fighters often get lucky. After beating Josh Emmet, Ilia Topuria went on to win the featherweight title. It would be interesting to see whether Umar Nurmagomedov manages to replicate that if given the opportunity.
