Tag: Merab Dvalishvili

Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’

Following his bantamweight title win in the main event of UFC 306, the promotion was clearly looking to set Merab Dvalishvili up for his first title defense. Joe Rogan asked the new champion what he thought about the match-up with Umar Nurmagomedov, which is likely next for him. Despite the broadcast capturing Nurmagomedov’s reaction live […]

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Following his bantamweight title win in the main event of UFC 306, the promotion was clearly looking to set Merab Dvalishvili up for his first title defense.

Joe Rogan asked the new champion what he thought about the match-up with Umar Nurmagomedov, which is likely next for him.

Despite the broadcast capturing Nurmagomedov’s reaction live from the Sphere, Dvalishvili didn’t answer the question that had been posed to him.

He instead spoke about having a conversation with Dana White first and later, in his post-fight press conference, stated once again that in his opinion, Deiveson Figueiredo is more deserving of the next title shot.

Kamaru Usman Advises Merab Dvalishvili To Face Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge Head-On

In an interview with Dvalishvili on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Kamaru Usman had offered some words of advice to the title challenger before UFC 306 got underway.

The former welterweight champion said that the Georgian fighter should look to capitalize on his time as champion by securing the biggest fights possible, meaning that he should welcome a fight with Nurmagomedov rather than pointing to alternatives.

During his post-event recap alongside Henry Cejudo, Usman once again stressed why he thinks that Dvalishvili should be pushing for this fight.

Having already made the case that it’s the biggest fight out there for him right now, Usman also believes that this kind of challenge could elevate the new champion.

Every great fighter needs great rivals to push themselves further than before and “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes that Nurmagomedov offers that.

He referenced his own welterweight title reign and how his two tough fights against Colby Covington were highly significant moments in his career that helped take him to another level in terms of popularity and influence within the organisation.

“Merab is not afraid but I know he’s worried about a guy like Umar and sometimes those are the guys that really put you on that next level. Merab might come out there and look like freaking the best we’ve ever seen. So you, and I needed that dance partner. Colby Covington gave me that and so that’s what Merab, at this point, I think if I had any advice for Merab, it’s too embrace that. It’s too embrace that. You’re right, when they did ask him that question, he kinda danced around it.”

Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals What He Said To Enrage Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’ at MMA News.

Umar Nurmagomedov Points Out Merab Dvalishvili’s Hypocrisy: ‘When Topuria Fought For The Title…’

Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t think newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has been consistent with his views. Dvalishvili secured a long-awaited crowning in the main event of this past weekend’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view, held inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Georgian closed out the show with a dominant […]

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Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t think newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has been consistent with his views.

Dvalishvili secured a long-awaited crowning in the main event of this past weekend’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view, held inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The Georgian closed out the show with a dominant grappling performance to unseat Sean O’Malley from the 135-pound throne, making good on his confident pre-fight predictions to end “Suga’s” reign.

While the Montana native looks to work his way back to the gold in his return down the line, “The Machine’s” focus will soon turn to the start of his divisional rule. And the champ isn’t short on potential threats.

Leading the pack appears to be Umar Nurmagomedov, who seemed to place himself as next in line for a shot by getting the better of Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi last month. The Dagestani was in attendance on Saturday night as his possible next opponent emerged.

Dvalishvili, however, has remained consistent in dismissing “The Young Eagle” as a worthy contender, insisting that Nurmagomedov hasn’t done enough to earn an opportunity over Deiveson Figueiredo.

Nurmagomedov Further Questions Dvalishvili’s Stance On His Title Shot

Amid Dvalishvili’s frequent downplaying of his title credentials, Nurmagomedov has hit back on social media, claiming that real champs do not attempt to “choose” their opponents and urging the Georgian not to duck him.

And in his latest post on the topic, the undefeated contender accused Dvalishvili of hypocrisy by comparing his UFC résumé to date — which “The Machine” has rejected as being title shot-worthy — with that of his friend and compatriot Ilia Topuria before he challenged for the featherweight gold this year.

“When Merab’s friend, Topuria fought for the title, after 6 consecutive wins, and beating only one top 5 ranked opponent Josh Emmet, I don’t remember that Merab was desperately protesting against such ‘unfairness’.”

It remains to be seen what will come in the immediate future for Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov. But with both the Dagestani and the in-form Figueiredo staking their claims, the UFC certainly has a big decision to make.

Continue Reading Umar Nurmagomedov Points Out Merab Dvalishvili’s Hypocrisy: ‘When Topuria Fought For The Title…’ at MMA News.

Jon Anik’s Verdict On UFC 306 Main Event: ‘Guys Like Merab Dvalishvili & Belal Muhammad…’

The sport of MMA moves so fast that even after a major event like UFC 306, there is very little time before everyone has moved on to the next major talking point. Merab Dvalishvili winning the UFC bantamweight title in the main event of the promotion’s second annual Noche UFC already feels like it happened […]

Continue Reading Jon Anik’s Verdict On UFC 306 Main Event: ‘Guys Like Merab Dvalishvili & Belal Muhammad…’ at MMA News.

The sport of MMA moves so fast that even after a major event like UFC 306, there is very little time before everyone has moved on to the next major talking point.

Merab Dvalishvili winning the UFC bantamweight title in the main event of the promotion’s second annual Noche UFC already feels like it happened months ago.

His performance against Sean O’Malley inside the Sphere answered some very intriguing questions that fans had going into the fight.

Not only was Dvalishvili able to dominate the fight with his grappling when he did close the distance, he was able to avoid taking significant damage for the majority of the duration.

Jon Anik Says Fighters Like Merab Dvalishvili & Belal Muhammad Don’t Get Enough Credit

In a recent interview with James Lynch for Middle Easy, UFC commentator Jon Anik gave his thoughts on Dvalishvili’s performance.

He looked to really emphasize how it wasn’t just the grappling of the challenger at UFC 306 that was impressive, it was his overall game.

Dvalishvili was constantly moving and giving O’Malley something new to think about and thanks to his unrelenting gas tank, that continued across all five rounds.

Anik also made reference to Belal Muhammad’s title win at UFC 304 where of course, the biggest takeaway was his grappling success, but that didn’t tell the whole story of the fight where his striking was also very effective.

“A lot of people might have fancied Umar (Nurmagomedov) against either guy and maybe now they’re not so sure just given how dominant Merab was and guys like Merab Dvalishvili and Belal Muhammad are never going to get credit for what they do as strikers. If they have a nice jab or a nice point of entry but man, the total package of Merab, like the dude needs to be tested for science right? And yeah, I’m saying that for comedic value but what is inside of there?”

Read also: UFC Commentator Highlights Julianna Peña’s Key Quality That Will Serve Her Well At UFC 307

Continue Reading Jon Anik’s Verdict On UFC 306 Main Event: ‘Guys Like Merab Dvalishvili & Belal Muhammad…’ at MMA News.

UFC Veteran Expects ‘Great Champion’ Sean O’Malley To Get Immediate Title Rematch Like Israel Adesanya After Controversial Loss

At the culmination of UFC 306, the consensus was that Merab Dvalishvili had dominated Sean O’Malley to win the bantamweight title. However, the former champion has tried to flip the narrative by claiming he won three rounds and the fight. As per O’Malley, he got the better of Dvalishvili in rounds one, three, and five. […]

Continue Reading UFC Veteran Expects ‘Great Champion’ Sean O’Malley To Get Immediate Title Rematch Like Israel Adesanya After Controversial Loss at MMA News.

At the culmination of UFC 306, the consensus was that Merab Dvalishvili had dominated Sean O’Malley to win the bantamweight title. However, the former champion has tried to flip the narrative by claiming he won three rounds and the fight.

As per O’Malley, he got the better of Dvalishvili in rounds one, three, and five. An immediate rematch seems to be off the table, though. “Suga” requires hip surgery which will keep him out of action for almost a year. In the meantime, “The Machine” can take on contenders such as Umar Nurmagomedov or Deiveson Figueiredo.

Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen is not a huge fan of the UFC’s reaction to O’Malley losing the title. He believes that the former champ deserves an immediate rematch upon his return and here’s why…

Chael Sonnen Justifies Sean O’Malley Getting Immediate Title Rematch Because He Could ‘ Move The Needle’ Like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey & Israel Adesanya

He might be in the minority here, but Sonnen strongly opposed the UFC’s decision to not consider giving O’Malley an immediate rematch on his YouTube channel recently. He backed the claim by calling “Suga” one of the biggest draws in the promotion currently and remembering that he’s headlined events with massive gates (UFC 299 and UFC 306).

“The American Gangster” then compared O’Malley to Israel Adesanya. He stated that the latter chose his opponents strategically and compensated for it by promoting himself brilliantly. Despite being a good promoter, O’Malley never got this trade-off according to Sonnen. He was bringing in fans, but at the same time, was fighting everyone that the UFC put in front of him.

“The very first option is the champion that drops the belt gets a rematch for his belt. It was a respect that was shown to every single great champion. And by great champion, I’m talking about champions that could also move the needle. All of them were offered rematches. From Conor on down. More recently, Israel Adesanya. Right into it, I’m sharing with you, all the greats except Sean.”

Sonnen looked back at O’Malley’s UFC run which included a major bump in competition as Petr Yan. He then fought Sterling to grab the title and defended it against Marlon Vera. Even if he had beaten Dvalishvili, the next contender was already ready for him as Nurmagomedov or Figueiredo.

All the history, combined with the fact that rounds one, three, and five could’ve potentially gone to O’Malley, is enough for him to get an immediate rematch according to the UFC veteran.

“Motivation could largely be based upon opportunities. Of which I didn’t see any add, I only saw him taken away. I’m just sharing, that is what I saw. But now you’ve got Merab, you’ve got Nurmagomedov, and you got Figueiredo, and they can’t seem to quite figure it out. Well, there’s also a final option that should’ve come in front of all of them which is if there’s controversy, we look at a rematch. There’s controversy, go see rounds 1, 3, and 5. Watch that without commentating. Come back and tell me you don’t see controversy.”

O’Malley will be out of action because of injury so it’s safe to assume that at least one UFC bantamweight title fight will happen before his return. With contrasting opinions surrounding his loss, it’ll be interesting to see who “Suga” returns against, though.

Continue Reading UFC Veteran Expects ‘Great Champion’ Sean O’Malley To Get Immediate Title Rematch Like Israel Adesanya After Controversial Loss at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley Gives Merab Dvalishvili Advice On Umar Nurmagomedov Title Defence

Sean O’Malley recently shared some tips for Merab Dvalishvili regarding his potential first title defense against the rising contender, Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili secured the bantamweight title, dominantly defeating reigning titleholder O’Malley by unanimous decision in the main event of Noche UFC 306, held on September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. After “The […]

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Gives Merab Dvalishvili Advice On Umar Nurmagomedov Title Defence at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley recently shared some tips for Merab Dvalishvili regarding his potential first title defense against the rising contender, Umar Nurmagomedov.

Dvalishvili secured the bantamweight title, dominantly defeating reigning titleholder O’Malley by unanimous decision in the main event of Noche UFC 306, held on September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After “The Machine” captured the 135-pound crown, anticipation quickly mounted over who would emerge as his first challenger. Even before becoming champion, Dvalishvili often pointed to former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo as the most meritorious opponent.

Meanwhile, the 34-year-old Georgian has shown clear reluctance to face Nurmagomedov, citing the Dagestani’s lack of experience against top-ranked opponents. However, last week, Dvalishvili appeared to shift his stance on Nurmagomedov in a post on X, stating that he’s ready to take on whoever the UFC places in front of him next.

O’Malley, for his part, believes “The Machine” is making a smart move by aligning with the UFC’s plans for his future…

O’Malley Suggests Dvalishvili Could Strain UFC Ties By Refusing Nurmagomedov Fight

During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley weighed in on who Dvalishvili should face in his first title defense. “Suga” advised that if the UFC wants the newly crowned champion to take on Nurmagomedov next, he should accept the fight. Otherwise, Dvalishvili risks jeopardizing his relationship with the promotion, which O’Malley believes would be an unwise move.

“He [Dvalishvili] said he’s not fighting Umar. I’m like, bro, do you not learn from Aljo [Aljamain Sterling]?” O’Malley said. “You’re not going to come out and say, ‘I’m not fighting Umar.’ You’re the champ, and Umar was supposed to be the next guy… If I’m giving any advice, it’s just f**king don’t go against what the UFC wants. If the UFC wants you to fight Umar, f**king fight Umar. Don’t say, ‘I’m not going to fight Umar.’ It’s like, then you’re not going to have a good relationship with the UFC.”

Nurmagomedov is fresh off a commanding victory over former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi last month. This triumph not only extended the 28-year-old Dagestani’s unbeaten streak to six but also solidified his standing as a top contender for the bantamweight belt. However, only time will reveal who Dvalishvili will face next.

Read More: Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Gives Merab Dvalishvili Advice On Umar Nurmagomedov Title Defence at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306

Aljamain Sterling recently opened up about the events that led to the heated altercation with Sean O’Malley’s entourage before Noche UFC 306. Sterling’s close friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, avenged O’Malley with a unanimous decision victory to capture the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the lead-up […]

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306 at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling recently opened up about the events that led to the heated altercation with Sean O’Malley’s entourage before Noche UFC 306.

Sterling’s close friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, avenged O’Malley with a unanimous decision victory to capture the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the lead-up to the fight, tensions between the opponents remained mostly verbal, with nothing crossing into personal or physical territory. However, things escalated during the final face-offs last Friday. Sterling and Dvalishvili found themselves in a fiery confrontation with several rowdy “Suga” fans outside the arena while “The Machine” was taking photos with his supporters.

The former UFC bantamweight champion took to X to clarify that the individuals taunting them were not just random fans but actually two of O’Malley’s close friends, including his podcast producer, Ricky Schmitt.

Sterling Shares His Reason For Not Retaliating Against O’Malley’s Friends

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s MMA Today, “Funk Master” opened up about the scuffle with O’Malley’s friends outside the Sphere. Sterling explained that both he and Dvalishvili chose not to engage with the naysayers, as they didn’t want to jeopardize the fight they had worked so hard to prepare for by getting caught up in unnecessary drama.

“When Merab went on the bus after the Friday evening face-off, we saw a whole bunch of people waving him down, so he gets off the bus to go over,” Sterling said. “Now, his minions Sch*tty and the other skinny twig were on the other side. I see these guys screaming and yelling, coming all the way back over to be a*holes. I was like, alright guys, the presser’s done, and now you’re in our personal space. I told him, ‘Dude, you’re really close now, and you’re being straight-up disrespectful. I’m right here now, so if you wanna sit behind this, you’re not very far away from me.’”

Sterling went on to explain that people have become far too bold in mocking and antagonizing others, especially in public. He hinted that the situation would have played out very differently if there hadn’t been cameras around to capture the scene.

“People have gotten way too comfortable with just being complete aholes and thinking that there’s nothing wrong with them being aholes. We’re not in the arena where you can chirp and pay up money, now we’re in our personal space, we’re working and being professional with what we’re trying to do, and you’re literally walking over and being a complete prick. There’s nothing cool about that whatsoever.”

Sterling was set to face Movsar Evloev in a crucial featherweight clash at UFC 308 on October 5, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, earlier this week, “Funk Master” revealed that he was unfortunately forced to pull out of the bout due to an elbow injury.

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306 at MMA News.