Umar Nurmagomedov won’t lose sleep if he doesn’t get Merab Dvalishvili rematch

Umar Nurmagomedov wants to share the Octagon with Merab Dvalishvili again, but he won’t beg for it.

Back in January, Nurmagomedov challenged “The Machine” for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Nurmagomedov fell short in the bout and he ended up walking out of the title fight with a broken hand. It was also the first loss of Nurmagomedov’s pro MMA career.

While Nurmagomedov has been recovering, Dvalishvili scored his second successful title defense when he defeated Sean O’Malley in their rematch at UFC 316. Nurmagomedov hopes for a chance to prove he can defeat “The Machine,” but capturing UFC gold is what motivates him, not revenge.

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Nurmagomedov Won’t Beg For Dvalishvili Rematch

In an interview with Adam Zubayraev (via Red Corner MMA), Umar Nurmagomedov said not getting a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili wouldn’t keep him up at night (h/t MMAJunkie).

“I want the rematch,” Nurmagomedov said in an interview with Adam Zubayraev (h/t Red Corner MMA). “I want to prove that my broken hand was a factor, that it could have ended differently. Even if we don’t meet again or he retires, I still plan to become champion. If the rematch never happens, it won’t be a tragedy for me. I’m not holding onto it emotionally.”

“I’ve hit Merab clean myself. He didn’t even flinch,” Nurmagomedov said. “Tough guy. He’s really hard to knock out. He’s got cardio for days, and he’s just got brute strength. It’s not like he’s got advanced grappling skills or submissions – he can’t even hold people down properly. He just overwhelms.”

Nurmagomedov holds the No. 2 spot on the official UFC bantamweight rankings. An impressive win upon his return would put Nurmagomedov back in title contention. While many lauded Dvalishvili’s performance against Nurmagomedov, the challenger certainly made things competitive.