After a victory against Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, Merab Dvalishvili finally became the champion. But with the belt comes great pressure, and that’s what #2 ranked bantamweight fighter, Umar Nurmagomedov, aimed to create while calling out the champ. But for a fight to ensue, the two fighters will have to come to a common understanding regarding fight dates. But, what if that doesn’t happen?

Well, Ali Abdelaziz, who represents Nurmagomedov through Dominance MMA, has the answer to this question. Remember how ‘The Machine’ held a press conference on September 30 and answered several questions regarding his next bout? He revealed that although nothing was confirmed by the UFC, his next title defense will probably be against Nurmagomedov in February or March 2025, which is likely to pose a problem…

You see, that also happens to be the holy month of Ramadan. So Nurmagomedov might not want to fight, which was further confirmed by Abdelaziz in a conversation on Submission Radio on October 6. Revealing how Umar, who’s also Khabib Nurmagedov’s cousin, might change his mind, the executive revealed, “He [Umar] said my job is to tie the Khabib record and if I have to beat the Khabib record, I have to call him. If I have to win and fight for Merab, I’m not gonna do it. I’m gonna fight. I’m not waiting. We know Umar cannot fight in Ramadan, but now Merab wants to fight in Ramadan, right? In a way, Umar is not gonna wait for anybody you know. He’s not a champion, but he has a champion mentality. He said, ‘If I’m the best in the world, I’m supposed to beat everybody’.”

And this is not the first time the Russian fighter has called out Dvalishvili. After the 33-year-old insisted on in February/March, Nurmagomedov directed a pointed attack on social media. “Hey Merab you know that Ramadan is in March and knowing this you insist on March, in February the tournament will be held in Australia and they won’t put us there. There is a tournament in Los Angeles in January – let’s fight there, and there is enough time to prepare. Stop looking for excuses. Give the people what they want, everyone who follows our weight – wants to see this fight,” he wrote on X on October 1.

Umar Nurmagomedov has an 18-0 record, whereas Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record was 29-0. So if the younger fighter wants to tie or go past his cousin, he will have to be ready to fight anyone.

Nurmagomedov previously proposed that the newly crowned 135-pound kingpin should fight him in January. However, there is not much to dissect from what both of the fighters want. And so, Nurmagomedov is ready to fight anyone and not wait for the champion at all. 

Here’s the thing. If Dvalishvili fights in January, it means he will have limited time for rest and recovery after his recent title win. This quick turnaround could potentially impact his performance and overall well-being. So, what’s next for the Bantamweight king?

Coach Javier Mendez clears the dilemma surrounding Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Merab Dvalishvili

According to coach Mendez, the champion is in a tough spot at the moment. Unfortunately for Dvalishvili, ‘Suga’ underwent hip surgery on October 3 and cannot have the much-requested rematch at least before June 2025. Sean O’Malley will need rest.

It seems like ‘The Machine’ will have to face the Dagestani in the first half of 2025 and Nurmagomedov’s coach discussed the entire issue on his podcast in September. Mendez said, “I don’t know why he’s [Dvalishvili] avoiding him [Nurmagomedov]. Maybe that is his way of building the fight by looking like he is avoiding. … I would really like to know what the real reason is.”

Ali Abdelaziz stated on X that the fight between them is more or less fixed. The undefeated fighter has impressed everyone with his performance inside the octagon and wants to go for the title. Even the Dagestani’s manager has said the same on X writing, “Umar Nurmagomedov is fighting for the UFC Bantamweight championship next—done deal.” But at the same time, he is even willing to fight anyone else other than the champion due to Dvalishvili’s reservations. 

Meanwhile, Dvalishvili has expressed that the Dagestani doesn’t deserve a crack at the gold, arguing that he hasn’t defeated any of the division’s Top 15. Who do you think will have the bragging rights between the duo if the fight ever happens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.