A storm is brewing in the bantamweight division of the UFC, and at the center of it are Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov. The Georgian powerhouse has thrown down the gauntlet against the younger Nurmagomedov, the rising star with a famous last name.
Dvalishvili wasn’t pulling any punches. He called out Nurmagomedov’s rapid climb up the rankings. The crux of his argument relies on a single word that he believes is the golden ticket, and it’s spelled N-U-R-M-A-G-O-M-E-D-O-V.
“You don’t fight nobody, and now you just got here because your last name is Nurmagomedov – because you’re Khabib’s cousin. Good for him, but he has to grow up and he has to be more [of a] man. He has to respect fighters here. We’ve been here a long time, and he’s acting a little bit disrespectful,” said Dvalishvili via MMA Fighting.
Dvalishvili further pointed out that Umar had only faced one top-15 fighter. Meanwhile, other contenders are out here battling titans left and right. Does Merab Dvalishvili have a point? The UFC’s matchmaking can sometimes feel like a popularity contest. But it is an entertainment business.
It is true that Khabib Nurmagomedov paved the way for his clan in combat sports. But guys like Umar, Usman and others are not there just for their name. No. Umar Nurmagomedov recently defeated #2 ranked Cory Sandhagen. Now would just a name do that?
Merab Dvalishvili Chooses Deiveson Figueiredo Over Umar Nurmagomedov For Title Shot
‘The Machine’ has been on a tear lately, racking up wins left and right. But he is not just focused on his own path to glory, he has opinions about everyone else’s journey too. His latest opinion is all about who deserves the next shot at bantamweight gold.
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In one corner, we’ve got Umar Nurmagomedov, the undefeated prospect with a famous last name. In the other, Deiveson Figueiredo, the former flyweight champ looking to make waves in a new division. And Merab’s verdict? Team Figgy all the way!
“He beat one former champion in this weight class and one title challenger. And he beat Rob Font. And Figueiredo is former champion, and he has big name and he deserves. Umar, he only beat Cory Sandhagen from top 15, only one guy he beat from top 15. And why he deserve fight for the belt?” said Dvalishvili via MMA Junkie.
Dvalishvili’s argument is simple: it’s all about the resume. He pointed out that Figueiredo’s beaten some serious contenders. Meanwhile, Umar’s biggest claim to fame is a win over Cory Sandhagen. Sure, it’s impressive, but is it enough? Merab doesn’t think so.
Also Read: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Gives Props To Merab Dvalishvili; Reveals What Makes Him An “Absolute Animal”
