Sean O’Malley’s coach explains how Merab Dvalishvili antics swayed public opinion of Umar Nurmagomedov fight
Sean O'Malley's coach doesn't support the narrative of Merab Dvalishvili dominating Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
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Merab Dvalishvili defends his belt by beating Umar Nurmagomedov (via X)
Merab Dvalishvili recently defended his UFC bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. Going into the fight, the champion was the underdog, but was able to pull off a clinical victory. The Georgian overpowered the challenger with his incredible cardio continuing his winning run.
In the early rounds, Nurmagomedov found success with his striking but towards the end, he looked helpless. Due to this, many fans and experts believed that it was a dominant victory for Dvalishvili. However, according to Sean O’Malley‘s coach Tim Welch, the reality was different.
Umar did a good job, that fight was a lot closer than people think. If you watch that fight without the antics Merab does, it’s a really, really close fight. It could have gone either way.
Tim Welch via Home of Fight
Merab Dvalishvili is well known for his cardio and relentless pressure. As such, it was hard for Nurmagomedov to keep up. This gave the champ the opportunity to make fun of the Dagestani by emoting while fighting. It’s not the first time the ‘Machine’ has pulled out such antics, but it definitely helped in shaping the narrative.
😳 Sean O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch, believes Merab vs. Umar was closer than people think:
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 29, 2025
"If you watch that fight without the antics Merab does, it’s a really, really close fight. It could have gone either way."
🎥 @Home_of_Fight ▫️ pic.twitter.com/P3OXLuMtCC
As a coach, Welch had to go through the same when O’Malley got dominated by Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Since then, ‘Suga’ has been eagerly waiting for his title rematch and expecting it soon. However, for Dvalishvili, it was definitely a massive boost going through Nurmagomedov.
Merab Dvalishvili talks about Umar Nurmagomedov’s future
Umar Nurmagomedov skipped the line and beat the #2 ranked bantamweight to earn the title shot. As a result, Merab Dvalishvili considered him lucky and wasn’t ready to give him the shot. However, the UFC made the fight official, and the rivalry between the fight was palpable.
The champion believed Nurmagomedov had disrespected him, and taught him a lesson inside the octagon. However, after the clash, the Georgian gave the challenger the deserving respect. In an interview, he talked about the Dagestani coming back and winning the belt in the future.
I’m sure he will continue his winning streak. And I’m sure he will fight for the belt again. He’s young and I’m sure he’s humbled now.
Merab Dvalishvili via The Ariel Helwani Show
Umar Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, never accepted the defeat and blamed his broken hand for the performance. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has also shared his opinion and talked about Nurmagomedov’s strong comeback. It would be interesting to see how coach Khabib Nurmagomedov makes adjustments for the future.
Related: Merab Dvalishvili Net Worth, Endorsements, UFC contract, Girlfriend and House
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Ameetosh Dash
(941 Articles Published)