Umar Nurmagomedov Finally Reacts to Merab Dvalishvili Slapping His Teammate

Umar Nurmagomedov was handed the first loss of his career at the hands of Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 and their rivalry has continued ever since.

Umar Nurmagomedov Finally Reacts to Merab Dvalishvili Slapping His Teammate

Umar Nurmagomedov calls out Merab Dvalishvili's conduct (via X)

Umar Nurmagomedov has remained a vital part of the Dagestani training system under UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov. A major career moment came when Merab Dvalishvili handed him his first professional loss in their championship clash at UFC 311. However, their rivalry had already become deeply personal before then.

At UFC 311, Dvalishvili faced Nurmagomedov for the bantamweight title. Nurmagomedov entered undefeated, while Dvalishvili looked to defend his championship against a dangerous contender. The Georgian star ultimately won by unanimous decision, handing Nurmagomedov a shocking loss.

Dvalishvili is no longer the bantamweight champion after Petr Yan defeated him in their rematch at UFC 323. Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, continues his rise as he looks to earn another opportunity at the UFC title. He is scheduled to face Song Yadong in the UFC Shanghai main event on August 29.

At RAF Georgia, Dvalishvili became involved in an altercation with Nurmagomedov’s friend Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov. Akhmed confronted Dvalishvili over his comments about ‘The Young Eagle’, before the situation turned physical. Nurmagomedov recently addressed the incident and criticized his former rival.

He’s the one who has to live with it. For example, can you imagine a Georgian coming up to me in Dagestan? If a Georgian tells me not to talk to Merab, and I hit him from behind and insult him in my own language, I can’t imagine myself doing that. But as a person, how do you live with that? And the people who defend it, that means there’s something wrong there. You have to call wrong things wrong. No matter who does it.

Umar Nurmagomedov via Adam Zuabayraev

Dvalishvili previously said he had no personal animosity toward Nurmagomedov when their rivalry began. However, he later indicated the situation changed after the Dagestani star’s cousins pushed him toward trash talk. The rivalry eventually became more personal before their UFC 311 title fight.

The UFC 311 fight also raised questions after Nurmagomedov revealed he broke his left hand during the opening round. His management later shared an image supporting the injury claim after the fight. Dvalishvili’s team, however, pushed back against injury explanations surrounding the defeat.

Nurmagomedov successfully rebounded from his first professional loss by defeating Mario Bautista at UFC 321. He overcame an early knockout scare before controlling the fight and earning a unanimous decision. He extended his winning streak at UFC 324 by defeating Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision.

Khabib Nurmagomedov has remained central to Umar’s development as both a coach and cousin. The UFC Hall of Famer has also backed Umar’s pursuit of another title opportunity. A rematch with Dvalishvili has previously been identified as a potential target for his cousin.

As Dvalishvili remains signed with RAF, the former champion was asked about a potential rematch with Nurmagomedov. The Georgian dismissed the idea while belittling his former rival as a spoiled fighter. With Umar Nurmagomedov rebuilding toward another title shot, their bitter rivalry remains unfinished.

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Merab Dvalishvili entered UFC 323 looking to make history by becoming the first UFC champion to defend his title four times in one year. However, Petr Yan stopped that pursuit with a dominant victory, leveling their rivalry at 1-1. Yan also reclaimed the bantamweight championship, becoming a two-time UFC champion.

In the lead-up to UFC 323, Umar Nurmagomedov remained appreciative of Dvalishvili despite the tension surrounding his former rival. The Dagestani contender also warned Yan that the Georgian star had improved significantly since their first meeting.

Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov
Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov (via MMA Fighting)

Before UFC 323, Yan was reported to be dealing with a significant right-hand injury that had limited his movement. At UFC 323, Yan looked markedly different and dominated Dvalishvili with his striking. The performance also gave Nurmagomedov greater confidence that he can defeat Dvalishvili in a rematch.

Honestly, the only thing I need from this sport is a rematch, even more than the belt. I’ll get the belt. First of all, I’m curious how I would have fought if I hadn’t gotten injured, because take Petr Yan’s first fight and the second fight, everyone said it was an excuse, and in the second fight, when he was already healthy, it turned out it wasn’t an excuse.

Umar Nurmagomedov via Adam Zubayraev

‘The Machine’ is currently pushing for a rematch with Petr Yan after losing the bantamweight title at UFC 323. However, Umar Nurmagomedov’s title hopes now depend on his upcoming fight with Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai. A victory could move the Dagestani contender closer to another championship opportunity.

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