Umar Nurmagomedov is next in line for a UFC bantamweight title shot against champion Merab Dvalishvili. At least that is what Dana White and the UFC have planned, as the UFC CEO confirmed at the UFC 308 press conference a few days ago. But it seems the timeline has complicated things for the undefeated Dagestani.

‘Young Eagle’ explained this in a lengthy post on X, where he exemplified that he had said yes to a potential UFC 310 title clash on December 7. Originally the card was supposed to be headlined by a welterweight title clash between champion Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov. However, ‘Bully B’ was forced to withdraw from it due to a bone infection, leaving the UFC’s final PPV card of 2024 without a main event. Umar has confirmed he was approached by the UFC to headline it and had agreed.

“If I’m lying about anything, you can ask the UFC. The UFC asked me if I was ready to fight for the belt on December 7, and I said yes,” Umar wrote.

On the other hand, the Dagestani did refuse a potential fight with the Georgian in March 2025, owing to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Merab, for his part, told Ariel Helwani in a recent interview that he will not be ready to fight before March, which messes up the timing of this slated scrap.

The only date I declined was March because Ramadan is the entire month. I’m not asking anyone to accept my beliefs or to accommodate me. I’m a realist. I understand that by making this choice, I may lose my chance to fight for the title, and I’ll deal with the consequences myself,” Umar wrote. But thankfully the #2 ranked bantamweight had a perfect workaround that potentially works for both him and the champ.

Umar Nurmagomedov suggests a May date for Merab Dvalishvili title clash

Umar Nurmagomedov recently voiced his concerns about the timing of his potential title shot. If the current champion does fight in March as rumored, it could delay Umar’s chance at the belt until late 2025. Given his desire to stay active, the Dagestani may need to take another fight in the meantime, which adds considerable uncertainty to the mix.

There’s always the risk of an upset, or Merab Dvalishvili and another top contender, could have a close fight that results in an immediate rematch. However, the undefeated Dagestani has come up with a solution to avoid these complications: a plan that would keep Merab from having to face another contender and ensure Umar doesn’t have to wait until the end of next year for his title opportunity.

“I think that if Merab fights someone in March, he won’t be ready to face me until December 2025. But if they let me fight him in May, then as long as I’m healthy, I’ll be ready to fight twice more before the end of the year,” Umar added.

The final say, of course, rests with the UFC. Since they seem to be on board with the idea that Umar should fight Merab next, there is a chance, probably a good one, that Dana White and Co. seriously consider a Umar vs. Merab fight date in May. What are your thoughts on Umar’s suggestion?