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Before facing Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311, many considered Umar Nurmagomedov the overwhelming favorite, bolstered by his dominant performances. But that night, ‘The Machine’ proved to be on another level, dismantling both ‘Young Eagle’s game plan and the aura of invincibility surrounding the ‘Nurmagomedov’ legacy. Following his defeat, Umar Nurmagomedov took a ten-month hiatus from competition. Now, as the UFC gears up for its second event of the year in ‘The City of Gold,’ all eyes are on the Dagestani star as he makes his return to the Octagon at UFC 321. Despite Merab Dvalishvili’s remark at a UFC Baku Q&A that, “Umar has to fight one more… or maybe two more… maybe three more,” Nurmagomedov remains unfazed. Confident and focused, he views a victory over Mario Bautista as a potential stepping stone back into title contention. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad What Umar Nurmagomedov needs to do to secure a second shot at Merab Dvalishvili Umar Nurmagomedov recently sat down with veteran Josh Thomson on the Weighing In podcast to reflect on his first fight against Merab Dvalishvili, recalling fighting with a “broken” hand. Looking back, the ‘Young Eagle’ candidly shared how he has processed the setback: “What happens, happens, you know. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and my job right now is to come back stronger, stronger than ever, you know,” ‘Young Eagle’ said. Now, Nurmagomedov’s attention turns to Mario Bautista, a fighter renowned for his striking yet less proven on the ground. Discussing the No. 9-ranked contender, Umar Nurmagomedov described him as a “smart guy,” who fights in a calculated manner. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad “I don’t know how his wrestling defense is. I just see how he punches, how he moves. He moves a lot, and he’s smart…fights smart, you know. He doesn’t spend a lot of energy.” Nurmagomedov emphasized that a decisive finish against Bautista could open the door to a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili: “I need a finish, I think. You know, for the UFC, they will give… I forget how to say it in English from Russian, like ‘you need a good quality win to get to that title.” In the fight, Umar Nurmagomedov managed to hold his own against ‘The Machine.’ However, in the championship rounds, Merab Dvalishvili leveraged his superior endurance and cardio to turn up the pressure. Controversy followed when the judges awarded rounds three, four, and five to ‘The Machine’, prompting critics to label it a “round three robbery.” Regardless, the victory stood. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports During Nurmagomedov’s subsequent hiatus, Dvalishvili solidified his reign, successfully defending his bantamweight title three times, most recently against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320. He is now slated to defend the belt for a fourth time in December in a highly anticipated rematch against Petr Yan. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Umar Nurmagomedov responds to Merab Dvalishvili’s fourth title defense announcement Merab Dvalishvili has firmly established himself as one of the UFC’s most dependable fighters, earning the trust of UFC President Dana White and the promotion’s matchmakers. Known for stepping in on short notice or bolstering underwhelming cards, Dvalishvili has consistently delivered performances that exceed expectations. Earlier this year, at UFC 311, he battled through a shin injury and post-surgery stitches. He later faced Sean O’Malley in a rematch at UFC 316, having previously faced criticism as a “boring” fighter in their first encounter at UFC 306. This time, however, the reigning champion silenced his critics with a decisive submission win. Most recently, at UFC 320 on the undercard of Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Merab Dvalishvili dominated Cory Sandhagen over five rounds, even at 34 years old. As the year draws to a close, he aims to finish 2025 strong with a fourth victory in a rematch against Petr Yan. Umar Nurmagomedov reacted to the news during an interview with Newsweek Sports: “I’m surprised, of course,” Nurmagomedov said. “It’s a lot of fights in one year. It’s too much. I think everybody’s surprised, but it’s his decision, and he can do whatever he wants. I wish them both to show a good fight. Who’s going to win? I don’t care. I want to fight with both.” Months after his hiatus, Umar Nurmagomedov is making his return to the Octagon. The MMA world is now buzzing with speculation — could the ‘Young Eagle’ dethrone Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch? Share your thoughts below.
