Umar Nurmagomedov put up a valiant effort to go down fighting at the UFC 311 co-main event. Coming undefeated into the bout, the Dagestani fighter was a favorite. And he indeed started things on a positive note. Dominating the initial rounds, Nurmagomedov presented a stiff challenge for the champion. Unfortunately for Nurmagomedov, Merab Dvalishvili came back strongly to hand him the very first loss of his career. But UFC veteran, Chael Sonnen, does not agree to the decision.
Taking to his Instagram, Sonnen stated that for him, Umar Nurmagomedov was the clear winner. He felt that the Dagestani was much more dynamic and a crisp fighter than Dvalishvili on the night. He also opined that barring the last two rounds, it was Umar who won the first three.
“I thought Umar won the fight…When they announced Merab, I thought there was going to be a lot of boos. I was alone. I thought they were going to give Umar Rounds 1, 2 and 3. I think anybody would’ve agreed that it comes down to Round 3. (Rounds) 4 and 5 were very clear, 1 and 2 were very clear,” said Sonnen.
Unfortunately, the judges had other opinions. While two of them gave Nurmagomedov the first two rounds, the third judge gave him only one. Meanwhile, Umar Nurmagomedov revealed he fought with a broken arm. Surprisingly, his team was never informed of the same.
Umar Nurmagomedov Did Not Reveal His Injury To His Coach
After the bout ended, Umar Nurmagomedov revealed that he was suffering from a broken arm. However, in a recent interaction with ‘Submission Radio’, his coach, Javier Mendez stated that Nurmagomedov did not let his team know of his injury.
“If [Umar] told me he broke his hand, I would have changed the game plan… I would have had him kick more,” Mendez stated.
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Javier Mendez reveals that Umar Nurmagomedov didn't tell his corner that his hand was broken during the fight against Merab:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 21, 2025
"If [Umar] told me he broke his hand, I would have changed the game plan… I would have had him kick more."
(via. @SubmissionRadio) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/yAZzz0YmN0
Now, ever since the revelation, debate has sparked about whether Umar’s injury could have prevented him from unleashing his full potential. While that controversy might never be settled, it will be interesting to see how Umar Nurmagomedov claws her way back to the top.
Also Read: Javier Mendez Explains Why Khabib Nurmagomedov Shines As A Coach, Continuing His Father’s Legacy
