The dust has settled on the highly anticipated UFC 306, and fans now have a new bantamweight champ. Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian wrecking ball, just snatched the title from Sean O’Malley. But this story’s just getting started as ‘The Machine’ is not exactly jumping for joy at the prospect of his first title defense.
The UFC has got their sights set on Umar Nurmagomedov, the undefeated Dagestani phenom. But Dvalishvili is singing a different tune. In the post-fight press conference, Dvalishvili dropped a bombshell and avoided the question about Nurmagomedov.
“I respect, and I love Dana White. Whatever he wants, I want to talk to him – of course we have a great relationship – but now I’m champion, I want him to know me better in my personal life,” said Dvalishvili.
Dvakishvili has his reasons for snubbing Umar Nurmagomedov. First off, he argued that Deiveson Figueiredo is the more dangerous fighter. With knockout power and slick submissions, Figgy’s no walk in the park. Also, Dvalishvili is not buying the young Nurmagomedov’s hype. He pointed out Nurmagomedov’s only got one win in the top 15.
But don’t think Umar’s taking this lying down. He’s already teasing that he’s next in line. The Dagestani even dropped some cryptic messages about “White Papakha vs Black Papakha.” And fans are all for it.
Fans React To Merab Dvalishvili Not Wanting To Fight Umar Nurmagomedov
UFC 306 just wrapped up, and Merab Dvalishvili has claimed the bantamweight crown. Now, fans would assume that the new champ would be all fired up about his next challenge. But when Rogan asks about facing Umar Nurmagomedov, Merab pulls a move smoother than his takedowns and starts gushing about Dana White and the UFC.
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Fans took to social media to showcase their reactions to Dvalishvili’s alleged hesitation. Some fans believed that this was not normal for ‘The Machine.’ Others felt that Umar Nurmagomedov’s skill could be too much for the Georgian to handle. Here are some of the reactions from fight fans:
Whatever the case, one thing is clear – fans want their champions ready to take on all comers. They crave that “anyone, anytime, anywhere” mentality. That is what makes MMA so captivating. It’s not just about the fights in the octagon. It’s the drama, the personalities, the chess game of matchmaking.
Also Read: Valentina Shevchenko Pulls Off Stunning Upset Against Alexa Grasso At UFC 306 – “Valentina Is HER”
