Merab Dvalishvili knows the stakes are high for his next fight – and he’s ready for it. At the first UFC PPV event of the year, Dvalishvili will defend his belt against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. But for Merab, this isn’t just about keeping his title – it’s about making a statement. Beating someone from Khabib’s legendary family, especially handing Umar his first loss, feels like a huge accomplishment to Dvalishvili.
With the Nurmagomedov name carrying so much weight in the fight world, Merab knows this win would turn heads and add to his growing legacy.
In an interview with ‘UFC Espanol’, Dvalishvili asserted that Umar was a top opponent and a good fighter who has an undefeated last name to live up to.
“He is coming from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s family and we all know Khabib was undefeated. Umar also has a brother (Usman) he is fighting in another organisation and also undefeated. To put one loss on Umar’s career, and the winner will be me, of course it will be big for me.”
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In Merab’s mind, beating the 28-year-old also means being able to take an ‘0’ away from the Nurmagomedov clan who have built a reputation for being dominant and undefeated thanks to the likes of Khabib, Umar, and Usman.
This is easier said than done. On paper at least, Umar is far more skillful and versatile than than the bantamweight champion. However, Merab is so confident that he’s already planning a campaign for the rest of 2025.
Dvalishvili lays out road map for 2025
The champ is set to defend his title against the undefeated Umar at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Inglewood, Calif. But Merab isn’t planning to stop there. If he gets through Nurmagomedov, he wants to defend his belt two more times by April.
“I just want to stay busy,” Dvalishvili told the UFC.
“O’Malley wants to fight in April, Petr Yan might be ready by March – I’ll fight them both.”
Despite his excitement, Merab admitted he initially wanted more time before facing Nurmagomedov. The matchup stirred some controversy, with fans questioning Umar’s title shot.
“There’s been a lot of hate online, and it felt like extra pressure,” Dvalishvili told ESPN. Earlier during the UFC 311 presser, Merab had gone off the rails asking Umar to respect him as a man and then starting a fight with a member of the audience.
Umar Nurmagomedov: “You’re the champion. Everybody wants to fight with you. … If you don’t want everybody to fight you, leave the belt.”
Merab Dvalishvili: “You have to be a man first. … F*ck everything else. You have to be a man.” pic.twitter.com/UhgwXOqo6k
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) December 7, 2024
“But it’s all good now – I’m focused”, he asserts now.
Hopefully, he can keep the focus up at UFC 311. He will be needing it.
