Umar Nurmagomedov is currently the #2 contender for the UFC bantamweight championship. The fighter is desperate to get his hands on the title by defeating the champion, Merab Dvalishvili. However, things are not going in favor of the Team Khabib star. As a result, Nurmagomedov has developed a backup plan for 2025.
Since Merab Dvalishvili claimed the bantamweight title at UFC 306, Umar Nurmagomedov has wanted the opportunity. However, the Georgian champion had other opponents in mind and seemed unwilling to grant Nurmagomedov the fight. While Nurmagomedov is prepared to wait for his title opportunity, he remains eager to face any top contender. ‘Young Eagle’ also revealed the reason why.
If Merab is going to avoid me, I won’t wait for him. And I’ll fight with anyone UFC suggests before ramadan
Umar Nurmagomedov via X
In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Umar Nurmagomedov expressed frustration with Merab Dvalishvili. He accused the champion of postponing a fight until Ramadan, which begins in March. Nurmagomedov speculated that Dvalishvili might be afraid, affecting the matchmaking process. Despite this, Nurmagomedov expressed his desire to remain active and plans to compete in December or January.
If Merab is going to avoid me, I won’t wait for him. And I’ll fight with anyone UFC suggests before ramadan
— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) October 11, 2024
Umar Nurmagomedov says that Merab is “playing games” and is trying to avoid him by pushing their fight to be during Ramadan
He adds that he’s willing to fight another contender in December/January to stay active, and fight for the title after Ramadan
🎥 @KevinI #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/O8rpTowQk6
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 13, 2024
Nurmagomedov was ranked #11 before defeating Cory Sandhagen to capture the top contender position. As a result, he skipped several strong fighters in the division. Some of the biggest names in the mix are Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, etc. It would be interesting to see what the UFC decides for the bantamweight star.
Umar Nurmagomedov questions Merab Dvalishvili’s attitude as a champion
Being an immigrant in the US, Merab Dvalishvili worked very hard to win the title at UFC 306. He had to wait for a long time before finally getting the title shot. During this title run, he dominated former champions like Jose Aldo, Henry Cejudo, etc.
Umar Nurmagomedov is well aware of this and has great respect for Dvalishvili’s journey. According to the fighter, the Georgian’s story is straight out of a movie. However, his recent attitude isn’t respectable. In a recent interview with TMZ, Nurmagomedov explained to Dvalishvili the responsibilities of a champion.
This guy, very sensitive. He talk about I disrespect him. Hey, You become champion..now everybody want to beat you. If you don’t want this attention, retire. It’s make him look very bad, he have to talk like a champion.
Umar Nurmagomedov via TMZ
Merab Dvalishvili recently accepted to face Sean O’Malley in a title rematch at UFC 309 after O’Malley questioned his defeat. He also met Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, and attempted to wrestle him playfully while shouting, ‘Merab beats Umar.’ This drama is working wonders for this rivalry, and UFC will be eager to capitalize on it as quickly as possible.
