Joe Rogan questions UFC 311 moment that could have kept Team Khabib legacy intact
Joe Rogan shares his thoughts on the verdict of the fight between Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili after rewatching the bout.
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Joe Rogan reacts to Umar Nurmagomedov's loss at UFC 311 (Image via Imago/MMA Mania)
UFC commentator Joe Rogan frequently explores a variety of fascinating topics on his podcast, often featuring a range of invited guests. Most recently, Rogan and stand-up comedian Brian Simpson discussed the matches from the UFC 311 PPV event. During their conversation, Rogan raised a question about the verdict in the co-main event fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.
The UFC bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, faced a formidable challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov, in his first title defense. Although the ‘Young Eagle’ started strong and dominated the early rounds, Dvalishvili was able to turn the momentum of the fight in his favor. However, after rewatching the match, Joe Rogan expressed a differing opinion on the outcome.
So, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov, they go to the distance, five round fight, Merab winds up winning the decision… He (Umar) won the first two rounds and the question is the third round and so I watched it a couple of times… I was like, ‘Man, that third round is so close, it’s so close.’ I could see judges giving it to Umar, he landed more strikes on the feet, he did get one takedown, Merab got a couple takedowns but he didn’t do much with the takedown.
Joe Rogan via JRE #2266 (Check from 2:29:48)
Rogan emphasized that the outcome of the fight between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov hinged primarily on the third round. Interestingly, like the ‘Young Eagle’, the UFC commentator also believes that the Dagestani fighter won the match.
Rogan pointed out the significant difference in strikes in favor of Nurmagomedov during that round. However, despite this, the Young Eagle faced the first defeat of his career. Umar Nurmagomedov hails from a renowned Dagestani lineage of MMA fighters.
Moreover, he is also the cousin of former undisputed UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had an impeccable legacy in the promotion. Like Khabib, Umar had a perfect and dominating record. However, that was until he faced Dvalishvili. However, with the Young Eagle’s defeat, another Nurmagomedov couldn’t hold the UFC gold.
Islam Makhachev reflects on Umar Nurmagomedov’s future after losing against Merab Dvalishvili
Umar Nurmagomedov made his UFC debut in 2021. Since then, he has defeated several tough opponents within the promotion. However, the ‘Young Eagle’ has lacked experience fighting against ranked competitors. Notably, before facing Merab Dvalishvili, Cory Sandhagen was the only ranked bantamweight Umar had fought.
A significant aspect highlighted by many was the clear inexperience of the Young Eagle in his championship fight at UFC 311. This point was further emphasized by the UFC lightweight champion and his teammate, Islam Makhachev, during the post-fight press conference. Interestingly, Makhachev shared his thoughts on Umar’s loss and how he views his future prospects.
Honestly, it was hard. I tried to warm up but I still watched the whole fight. Of course it made me a little bit sad, but Umar [was] looking good. Umar is still young, still hungry. He has time. Because he’s still young, he made some mistakes in this fight. Merab did his job very well and they had a close fight. Umar did not take damage… But, it’s okay, he broke his arm also. 100% I think he will come back, because he’s young, still hungry and he’s gonna be UFC champion one day
Islam Makhachev via UFC 311 post fight presser (Check from 5:45)
After the fight, Umar announced that he had broken his left hand and had already undergone surgery. He will need some time to recover but aims to come back stronger. It will be interesting to see who he faces next in his quest for the UFC bantamweight title. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili solidified his reign with an impressive performance in his first title defense.
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Nilaav Gogoi
(587 Articles Published)