Tag: Umar Nurmagomedov

Khabib: Umar Nurmagomedov will expose ‘nervous’ Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311

Khabib Nurmagomedov firmly believes Umar will show out and expose Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311.

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] defends [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag]’s title shot at UFC 311.

Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) in the Jan. 18 co-main event (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

Dvalishvili was never sold on Nurmagomedov as the No. 1 contender and wanted more time to prepare for his first title defense. His discontent was evident during the recent UFC 311 pre-fight press conference, and Nurmagomedov thinks the pressure of being champion has already gotten to “The Machine.”

“This is his problem, Merab’s problem,” Nurmagomedov said in a recent press conference (h/t Red Corner MMA). “I think when he was beginning his career, he was acting good. When he became champion, he cannot deal with this because life changing. Before champion and after champion there is two life. You have to deal with this.

“About Umar (getting a) gift, Umar is 18-0, and he’s on a six-fight win streak in the UFC, and they gave him a very tough opponent in his last fight, five-round main event vs. Cory Sandhagen. I think Umar deserve. I don’t know why Merab nervous. Umar here not because he is my cousin. He’s here because he’s 18-0 and 6-0 in the UFC. Umar wants to create his legacy. He will show January 18. He will show why Merab nervous.”

Dvalishvili’s complaints stem from the fact that Nurmagomedov only has one ranked win en route to a title shot – a unanimous decision against Cory Sandhagen in the UFC on ABC 7 headliner in August.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Sean O’Malley reacts to Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov UFC 311 title fight

Sean O’Malley was a little surprised to see Merab Dvalishvili booked vs. Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] was a little surprised to see [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] booked vs. [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] at UFC 311.

Bantamweight champion Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) defends his title against Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the Jan. 18 co-main event (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

After Dvalishvili dethroned O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) by unanimous decision at UFC 306 in September, he refused to acknowledge Nurmagomedov as No. 1 contender. He was even willing to grant O’Malley a rematch so, O’Malley was surprised to see Nurmagomedov get his wish with UFC 311 approaching so soon.

“Dude, that’s next month,” O’Malley said of Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov on his “TimboSugaShow” podcast. “That’s like 30 days away, and there’s like two title fights (that) get announced, which they may have known about them further out.

“But, it seems like the Merab vs. Umar, like no one really knew. Umar was going to fight in December, Merab wanted to fight in March and it was like, I might fight (Dvalishvili) in April, which is all in my head.”

O’Malley sees a potential fight with Nurmagomedov being massive, but would also love to avenge his loss to Dvalishvili – a fight he thinks is much closer than people give him credit for.

“I want Merab to win because I want that one back,” O’Malley said. “I want the rematch. I want that one back. That’s what I want. But if Umar wins, that’s a big fight, too.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili incensed by Umar Nurmagomedov’s disrespect

UFC bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili demands an apology from Umar Nurmagomedov.

UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] is fuming ahead of his first title defense against [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) meets Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the UFC 311 (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) co-main event Jan. 18 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Nurmagomedov has antagonized Dvalishvili for the past couple of months, accusing him of being scared. The pair continued to trade barbs during the UFC 311 pre-fight press conference last week, and “The Machine” has had enough.

He demands an apology from Nurmagomedov.

“I’m a man first,” Dvalishvili said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “If you come to my face and if you disrespect me, you’re going to get slapped. Don’t try that because I’m a man, and I will never forgive you, even if I have to go to jail. I don’t care, man. I have so much to lose. I don’t care (about) this belt. I don’t care (about) this money. I don’t care (about) this legacy.

“I’m a man, I live in a respectful way, and that’s all I believe. I don’t care. Especially now I’m a U S. citizen, I can f*cking fight, beat the sh*t out of these motherf*ckers, and I have no problem to pay the bill, ticket, or go to jail. I don’t care because don’t disrespect me.”

Dvalishvili: Nurmagomedov ‘may get a slap after the fight’

Dvalishvili was involved in a fan altercation while cornering teammate Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310. While Dvalishvili was recording Sterling walking to the back, he was grabbed in the arm by a fan, who allegedly began insulting him. That prompted his teammate, Dennis Buzukja, to throw punches at the fan while Dvalishvili was restrained by security.

Dvalishvili accused Nurmagomedov’s team of provoking the incident and is even willing to let things escalate after the fight, where he vows not to hold back until he gets his respect.

“He may get a slap after the fight,” Dvalishvili said. “The fight in the octagon is not a real fight; it’s a sport. If Umar does not apologize to me, it’s going to happen. Even if I have to go in Dagestan, I will go. I love Dagestan. I have so many friends in Dagestan, and I respect the Dagestan people. They’re good people.

“But Umar made big mistake with me, and Umar has to pay for this. But my support and my love for the Dagestan people (is there), and I still respect Khabib’s team, Islam, and everybody else. But I have problem with only Umar. I don’t want to fix this problem before the fight, but after the fight, I want to fight him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Overreaction Time: Alexandre Pantoja and Shavkat Rakhmonov elite? Colby Covington in danger, more!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” on what happened at UFC 310 and what’s to come at UFC 311, UFC 312 and UFC Tampa.

The time for overreacting is here!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn debate these “overreactions” on the following topics in mixed martial arts:

  • UFC 310: [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] will STILL be flyweight champion at the end of 2025.
  • UFC 310: [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]’s title reign is up next.
  • Shavkat Rakhmonov and [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] WILL meet again for the UFC welterweight title.
  • UFC 311: [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] SHOULD BE the main event over [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag].
  • UFC 311: Umar being favored over Merab is NUTS!
  • UFC 312: [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] getting a title shot over [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] is BULLSH*T.
  • A [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] rematch is a GREAT idea.
  • UFC Tampa: [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] won’t just beat [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], he’ll knock him out!

Watch the full episode in the video above.

‘You’re a piece of sh*t’: UFC 311 co-headliners Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov argue title merit

Watch Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov get into a heated argument at Friday’s UFC 311 press conference.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] got into it on Friday night.

Not only did the two have a lot to say backstage prior to their UFC 311 press conference in Las Vegas, but also during. Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) got into a heated argument and stole most of the attention, as the two went back and forth over the merit of Nurmagomedov’s title shot scheduled to go down on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles.

“I’m going to fight Umar and is going to be a tough fight,” Dvalishvili said at the presser. “As a fighter, he’s a good fighter, but he don’t earn like everybody else. He don’t go through, like you know. You have to fight the best, and he only fought no-wrestling Sandhagen. Yeah, he’s a good fighter, but you have to fight everybody to prove, but I give people what they want, and I give UFC what they want.”

Nurmagomedov fired back, citing the main event of Saturday’s UFC 310, which features a flyweight championship fight where Kai Asakura will be challenging champion Alexandre Pantoja in his octagon debut.

“Kai Asakura fighting for the title in his debut fight. Who cares?”, Nurmagomedov said. “Who cares about deverse or no deserve.”

Dvalishvili interrupted almost immediately, bringing up some of the things Nurmagomedov said online in recent weeks – which haven’t sat well with the UFC bantamweight champion.

“Be a man first,” Dvalishvili said. “You’re a good fighter, but not a good man. You’re a piece of sh*t. You lost respect as a man for me. Real men don’t talk trash online.”

Nurmagomedov stood his ground and said he’s only spoken facts.

“Tell everybody what I said about your personality,” Nurmagomedov said. “I just described your behavior. You tried to avoid me, you don’t even mention my name.”

You can watch their full back and forth in the replay of the press conference above.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Photos: UFC 311 on-sale press conference

Check out these photos from the UFC 311 press conference with Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.

Check out these photos from the UFC 311 on-sale press conference with [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag], [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag], which took place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas prior to the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins. (Photos by Nolan King, MMA Junkie)

UFC 311 video: Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov go face-to-face

Oh, boy. UFC 311 is shaping up to be a doozy.

LAS VEGAS – After a heated backstage altercation that required security intervention, the two participants in the UFC 311 co-main event were able to ease their tensions for their first official faceoff Friday.

At a news conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena, champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and rival [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] stole the show on the mic before they partook in a faceoff. The fight takes place Jan. 18 as the UFC 311 co-headliner at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

The booking came as a surprise to many as Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) seemed to be on different timelines for return. Additionally, Dvalishvili for weeks had indicated he wanted a rematch with Sean O’Malley or Petr Yan instead. However, the UFC got the booking done, as a compliment to the card’s main event of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev vs. challenger Arman Tsarukyan.

Check out Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov’s faceoff in the video above and check out a gallery of photos below.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Videos: Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov separated by security before UFC 311 press conference

Prior to the UFC 311 press conference, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov got into a heated argument backstage.

[autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] can’t wait to get their hands on each other.

Friday, backstage before the UFC 311 press conference, Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) got into a heated exchange of words, prompting security to intervene. The two bantamweights will clash in the co-main event of the pay-per-view on Jan. 18 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

According to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, the altercation began when UFC bantamweight champion Dvalishvili stepped away from an interview to confront his upcoming challenger. Videos quickly surfaced online from RMC Sport Combat and AG Fight, showing the two getting close momentarily while Dvalisvhili asked why Nurmagomedov had disrespected him.

The two continued to yell back and forth as security kept them apart, eventually leading Nurmagomedov away. Dvalishvili returned to his interview after the situation was over.

Check out videos of the incident below via X (formerly Twitter):

Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are expected to participate in the UFC 311 on-sale press conference along with headliners Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan prior to the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins.

You can watch video of the press conference below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Video replay: ‘UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2’ on-sale press conference

Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov will share the stage at Friday’s UFC 311 press conference.

LAS VEGAS – With tickets set to go on sale Friday, the promotion for the UFC’s first pay-per-view will kick into high gear with a UFC 311 press conference featuring the athletes from the two title fights.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is set to put his lightweight title on the line in a rematch with [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] in the headliner of the Jan. 18 card at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., while bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] takes on undefeated [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] in the co-main event.

All four fighters will take the stage for a promotional press conference Friday at T-Mobile Arena, and MMA Junkie will have a live stream beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Check out the video above to see Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC), Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) take the stage to answer questions and take part in their first faceoffs.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 311 co-main event

It’s not often that a UFC champion enters a title fight as the underdog, but that is the case with Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov.

Bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] will kick off his title reign when he meets undefeated [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] in the UFC 311 main event, but could it last only one fight?

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov preview

Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC), 33, claimed the 135-pound championship with a largely one-sided unanimous decision win over Sean O’Malley this past September at UFC 306. The victory moved Dvalishvili’s winning streak to 11 fights, which dates back to September 2018 and includes the likes of former champions Jose Aldo, Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo.

Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has yet to taste defeat in his professional career, which began in December 2016. Although 28-year-old Nurmagomedov has been perfect, his resume is chalk full of unknown opponents. But he passed his first test with flying colors last August at UFC on ABC 27, where he outworked Cory Sandhagen to win their five-round main event by clear unanimous decision.

Nurmagomedov, 28, is fighting Dvalishvili, 33, despite recently revealing that he fractured his arm and saying January would be too soon. Nurmagomedov is the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who also serves as one of his coaches, and older brother to Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov odds

It’s not often that a sitting UFC champion enters a title fight as the betting underdog, but that’s the case here. Despite Dvalishvili being the clearly more accomplished fighter with the more impressive resume, the opening odds are in favor of Nurmagomedov to claim gold.

According to DraftKings, Nurmagomedov has opened as a -198 betting favorite, with Dvalishvili coming back as a +164 underdog.

How to watch Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311

  • When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
  • Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, Calif.
  • Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.