Ali Abdelaziz has expressed strong confidence in the future of his fighter, Umar Nurmagomedov. Abdelaziz predicts that Umar, cousin of UFC icon Khabib Nurmagomedov, will soon claim the promotionโs bantamweight title, possibly in 2025. He also has a big opportunity in store for former bantamweight champion Sean OโMalley. Here is what happened:
Ali Abdelaziz recently sat down for a conversation with ESPN. During the discussion, the MMA promoter expressed that he believes Umar Nurmagomedov will beat newly crowned bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. After that, Umar would give Sean OโMalley a title shot coming off a loss.
I think Sean OโMalley is one of the biggest stars in the sport. This is a business about making money, and I think Sean OโMalley deserves a title shot coming off a loss.
Ali Abdelaziz on ESPN
Despite OโMalley suffering a loss to Dvalishvili at UFC 306, Abdelaziz argues that he remains one of the biggest draws for any future fight. In particular, Abdelaziz emphasized that UFC is about โhype and businessโ and that OโMalleyโs flamboyant personality and popularity have significantly elevated the bantamweight division.ย
Comparing OโMalleyโs case to fighters like Frankie Edgar and Israel Adesanya, who received title shots after losses, Abdelaziz believes that OโMalleyโs return to a championship fight would make sense. He also stated that, in a fight with OโMalley, โpeople care,โ unlike other potential matchups, which may not generate as much excitement. However, he did insist that Nurmagomedov is ready to fight anyone the UFC puts in front of him.
Sean OโMalley is ready to take on Umar Nurmagomedov as Merab Dvalishvili has refused to
Sean OโMalley has stirred up attention by targeting both Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov. โSugaโ called out Dvalishvili for allegedly ducking a fight with Nurmagomedov. The newly crowned champion has previously refused to face Nurmagomedov, claiming that Umar has not faced top-tier competition. Dvalishvili believed other fighters like Deiveson Figueiredo deserved a title shot before Nurmagomedov.
OโMalley took offense to Dvalishviliโs stance and mocked him for avoiding the Dagestani fighter. Taking to YouTube, โSugaโ emphasized his own willingness to fight Nurmagomedov. OโMalley had previously mentioned Nurmagomedov as a potential fight, not particularly because he was a big draw, but simply because of his last name. โSugaโ, with all the comparisons to Conor McGregor, wanted to recreate โThe Russian vs. The Irish rematch.โ
Merabโs f*cking terrified of Umar, doesnโt want to fight Umarโฆ.Heโs not the champ, Iโm the champ. I would fight Umar, I should fight Umar next for the belt. Iโm the champ, I should defend my belt against Umar.
Sean OโMalleyโs delusional rant on his YouTube channel
However, OโMalleyโs callout comes at a complicated time. He is scheduled for surgery later this year in October and expects to be out of action for 7 to 9 months. This extended hiatus pushes any potential title defense into mid-2025. That means his ambitions to fight Nurmagomedovโor reclaim the beltโwill have to wait.