Umar Nurmagomedov insists it’s nothing personal with Merab Dvalishvili even as he angles for another shot at the UFC’s bantamweight king.
At UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, Nurmagomedov meets Mario Bautista in a pivotal contest at 135 pounds. Nurmagomedov looks to quickly re-establish himself as the No. 1 contender after losing a title challenge to Dvalishvili this past January, while Bautista could earn his first championship opportunity if he beats Nurmagomedov and records his ninth straight victory.
Should Nurmagomedov win, there’s no guarantee he’s next for Dvalishvili, who had repeatedly shot down Nurmagomedov as a contender ahead of their first fight. At UFC 321 media day Wednesday, Nurmagomedov was asked why Dvalishvili seems to have such disdain for him.
“If you ask him I think he will say, ‘He has to fight 10 times until he wins 10,’” Nurmagomedov said. “What I can [say]? It’s just his mind, his opinion, and he can say whatever he wants, but reality is going to be different.”
“Because he knows, everybody knows why he’s talking like this,” he added. “Because he knows what’s going to happen in fight next. He knows it was very close, and it’s funny for everyone, not just for me. Everybody can see.”
When Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov clashed at UFC 311, the two went the full five rounds in a competitive contest. In the end, Dvalishvili outlasted Nurmagomedov to win a clear-cut decision. The bantamweight champion went on to defend his title twice more against Sean O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen, and next faces Petr Yan at UFC 323 on Dec. 6.
Nurmagomedov was asked if he felt Dvalishvili was avoiding a rematch, a notion that Nurmagomedov dismissed.
“I don’t know,” Nurmagomedov said. “It’s his business, he can do whatever he wants. It’s hard to sometimes talk about what you want. How can I talk about why he did this? We’re going to see after his fight, my fight, and if he will try to avoid, try to talk he going to fight April and March, then it’s going to be like that.
“Even if he will try to avoid, I don’t want to wait. I want to be active, I want to fight, and I hope I will fight.”
Nurmagomedov is hoping to fight earlier in 2026, whether it’s against Dvalishvili or someone else. Their rivalry could resume if both are victorious in their next fights, but Nurmagomedov may have to stay busy depending on when Dvalishvili—or possibly Yan—is ready to defend the title.
“Of course, if we’re both going to win, it’s a very interesting fight for all fans, for UFC,” Nurmagomedov said. “But I don’t want to wait too long. I want to be active and we’ll see what UFC is going to ask. We’ll see after this fight. If it’s going to be possible, I’m going to fight in January or February.”
