5. Merab Dvalishvili vs Umar Nurmagomedov
In what is arguably the most competitive division in the UFC, the matchup between bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and top contender Umar Nurmagomedov is amongst the most unique.
The surging Dvalishvili has been nothing short of fantastic after routing José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and Sean O’Malley consecutively to become the undisputed bantamweight champion. A stout athlete known for his amazing cardio and vaunted grappling, “The Machine” has developed into a heavy handed threat whose ability to put pressure on opponents on the feet or on the mat has made him a nightmare stylistically for opponents.
Which is why his dismissal, until recently, of the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov as the next title challenger has been somewhat perplexing. True, Nurmagomedov was the high risk/low reward bout earlier this year, but he changed all of that when he overcame perennial title threat Corey Sandhagen in an impressive five round effort in August.
Nurmagomedov, at least on paper, is arguably the one contender who may be able to match Dvalishvili’s prowess on the mat. Further, the attention he brings as the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov would likely raise the profile of the bout immensely. Considering that Umar would be framed as the final longtime member of the Nurmagomedov contingent to not have a title in a major promotion, it’s not difficult to imagine the excitement for the bout might take a life of it’s own.
The fact that it has seemed as if Dvalishvili doesn’t want the bout has arguably made the fanbase more eager to see it as it is the rare instance of a dominant champion almost showing hesitation in the face of a threatening contender. Whether or not one will have an edge will be seen soon as the two have been booked for the co-headliner at UFC 311 on January 18.
