“Clearly Scared” – Merab Dvalishvili Wishing Ill on Umar Nurmagomedov Upsets UFC Fans

UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili predicts old rival Umar Nurmagomedov’s loss against Mario Bautista.

“Clearly Scared” – Merab Dvalishvili Wishing Ill on Umar Nurmagomedov Upsets UFC Fans

Merab Dvalishvili wants Umar Nurmagomedov to lose his next bout (via X)

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Merab Dvalishvili has now successfully established himself as one of the most dominant bantamweights to ever step inside the Octagon. The fighter’s resume is absolutely stacked with incredible victories, and he currently has two title defenses under his belt. One of those title defenses was against Umar Nurmagomedov, but their bitter rivalry has not yet completely finished at all

Earlier this year at UFC 311, Merab Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov clashed in a heated battle, ending with a unanimous decision for the Georgian fighter. Nurmagomedov initially found success during the earlier rounds, but the Georgian champion eventually rallied back strongly, overwhelming him with relentless forward pressure.

Even after the competitive bout, tensions never cooled, as Dvalishvili often took a shot at the Dagestani national. Now, with Nurmagomedov scheduled to meet Mario Bautista on the main card of UFC 321, Dvalishvili has already publicly revealed his preference.. 

I hope Bautista whoops Umar’s (expletive), and I will fight Bautista next… He’s more deserving, and Bautista’s cousin’s name is not Khabib, but that’s why he needs a 9 fight win streak to MAYBE fight for the belt. Some people can get a title fight after a 6-fight win streak, fighting nobodies, without ranked opponents.

Merab Dvalishvili via MMA Junkie

Last year, when Nurmagomedov publicly called out Dvalishvili, but the Georgian ‘Machine’ dismissed him, claiming he didn’t deserve the opportunity. Dvalishvili specifically argued that Umar received a premature promotional push because of his close connection with former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

During their eventual fight, the ‘Machine’ openly mocked Team Khabib, ending the invincibility often associated with Dagestani fighters. After the heated fight concluded, Nurmagomedov’s team insisted he got injured, but Merab Dvalishvili completely dismissed such excuses.

Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly felt disappointed by his cousin’s performance, leaving him to recover alone and mentally prepare for a comeback. Merab Dvalishvili continuously refused to acknowledge Umar’s skill, bluntly dismissing his efforts and claiming the entire fight resembled sparring. 

Fight fans react to Merab Dvalishvili’s latest comments on Umar Nurmagomedov 

Merab Dvalishvili had to overcome several struggles before finally earning his title shot, fighting multiple bantamweight veterans along the way. His inspiring journey from working in a construction site as an immigrant to eventually becoming UFC bantamweight champion motivated many fans.

Merab Dvalishvili fighting Umar Nurmagomedov
Merab Dvalishvili fighting Umar Nurmagomedov (via X)

Adding to his legacy, the bantamweight king has become the most active champion currently on the roster, preparing for his third fight this year. Merab Dvalishvili is currently scheduled to defend his bantamweight title against Cory Sandhagen at the co-main event of UFC 320.

However, despite these accomplishments, he could not avoid constant accusations of being salty towards Umar Nurmagomedov after their rivalry. Here are some reactions from his latest comments on that Dagestani fighter.

As expected, many fans highlighted that Dvalishvili appears eager to face every possible opponent except Umar Nurmagomedov. Several comments suggested the Georgian champion feared losing his belt, intentionally avoiding the Dagestani fighter to protect his reign. Others argued Dvalishvili disliked Umar’s rapid UFC rise, given his own tough path.

Nevertheless, Umar Nurmagomedov currently has another chance to get back the title shot by beating Mario Bautista next. The American, on the other hand, is on an eight-fight winning streak and believes he could defeat ‘Young Eagle’. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the fighter revealed that a win can land him the next title shot against Merab Dvalishvili.

I think it has to. If you look at it, it’s going to be nine straight wins. Getting this win, then my last three performances would be Aldo, Patchy, Umar. Nine-fight win streak. I don’t know what else you could possibly do, and I think that’s exactly what Merab had…. Hopefully he sees that and gives me that same kind of grace, and we’ll figure something out.

Mario Bautista via MMA Junkie 

Going into the bout, Bautista is the underdog but has a wide range of weapons to beat his opponents. On the other hand, fans are hyped about how Umar Nurmagomedov will make his much-anticipated comeback after the last loss.

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