The UFC’s Bantamweight division is currently in disarray. Umar Nurmagomedov is seeking a title shot, but Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili appears uninterested in facing him. Although ‘The Young Eagle’ was hoping for a title opportunity, that hope seems to be dwindling. Nevertheless, Umar is still determined to compete before Ramadan, despite Dvalishvili’s lack of enthusiasm.
‘The Machine’ captured the bantamweight title by defeating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306. After the victory, Joe Rogan inquired about his next potential opponent, likely Umar Nurmagomedov, but Dvalishvili feels that ‘The Young Eagle’ isn’t deserving of a title shot. In response, Umar believes the Georgian fighter is “looking for excuses” to dodge the matchup. In a tweet, the Dagestani fighter stated:
“If Merab is going to avoid me, I won’t wait for him. And I’ll fight with anyone UFC suggests before ramadan”
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar’s cousin, urged Dana White to secure a title shot for him, but now the fight seems unlikely. Umar has grown frustrated with Dvalishvili for not addressing their potential matchup and for pursuing different opponents. However, ‘The Machine’ did respond to Umar’s callouts.
Merab Dvalishvili Responds to Umar Nurmagomedov’s Challenge
Dvalishvili previously claimed that Umar doesn’t merit a title shot and is only finding success because of his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov. At the UFC 306 post-fight press conference, Dvalishvili also suggested that former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo would be a suitable opponent. However, it appears that Umar might be next in line for a title shot, as ‘The Machine’ hinted at his upcoming fight, stating:
“Guys- I hear all of you! I am a company man. Whoever the UFC puts in front of me, I will fight as I always do, even if I don’t think they deserve the next shot. Let’s Go”.
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It looks like Dvalishvili has finally accepted that he’ll take on whoever the UFC puts in front of him, whether it’s Umar or someone else, after dodging Umar several times. ‘The Machine’ is set on not turning down any fight. However, the matchup is still in progress, and fans will need to wait for a definitive outcome.
