Umar Nurmagomedov Fact Checks Merab Dvalishvili Title Fight Plans

#2 bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov was close to the action cageside at Sphere, paying close attention to who he'll fight next after an impressive showing against the elite Cory Sandhagen in June.

Undefeated Contender Calls For Title Shot Against Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili 'Motivated' By Figueiredo, Not So Much By Nurmagomedov

Despite beating Sandhagen in what looked to be a title eliminator, Dvalishvili would rather see Nurmagomedov fight Petr Yan while he fights #5-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo - a two-time flyweight champ fresh off three wins at 135 - for his first title defense.

"I wanna fight the top of the top," Dvalishvili said at the UFC 306 post-fight press conference. "Figueiredo - former champion, who will be fifth champion in my list, and he's more dangerous. Knockout power, good jiu-jitsu, makes people sleep. coming from three-straight wins over top guys. This is why it excites me. It makes me motivated. It makes me work hard."

"Umar, like I wasn't... he's okay, but I'm telling you guys, from Top 15, he only win one fight and that was Cory Sandhagen," Dvalishvili said of Nurmagomedov. "We all see what Aljamain Sterling did against Cory Sandhagen, make him sleep in first round."

While Dvalishvili said he respects Sandhagen as a contender, he doesn't reckon Nurmagomedov is "deserving" of the next title shot because he's been fighting "nobodies" outside the Top 15 (via Pound 4 Pound).

Umar Weighs In On Dvalishvili's "Protest"

Nurmagomedov won't let Dvalishvili's talk of an undeserved title shot go unnoticed, bringing up his countryman, UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, into the conversation.

Dvalishvili argues against a title fight for Nurmagomedov with one win over top-ranked opposition, but that's all it took for Topuria to get his shot at gold when he cleared #5 contender Josh Emmett in his first main event before dethroning Alexander Volkanovski.

"When Merab’s friend, Topuria fought for the title, after 6 consecutive wins, and beating only one Top 5-ranked opponent Josh [Emmett], I don’t remember that Merab was desperately protesting against such ‘unfairness'," Nurmagomedov responded to Dvalishvili's title shot snub on 'X'.

A fast track to the title or not for Nurmagomedov, the word around the street was nobody wanted to fight Khabib's undefeated cousin on his way to the top of the bantamweight division - only Sandhagen, who paid dearly, having a three-fight win streak snapped right before his eyes en route to what would have been his first undisputed title fight.

Top Contender Calls Out Sean O’Malley after Merab Dvalishvili Loss

Does Umar Nurmagomedov deserve the next title shot or is there more work to be done for the newly-minted top contender?

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