
Bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili and unbeaten Dagestani Umar Nurmagomedov saw their grudge match finally play out in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Saturday.
Taking advantage of the massive screens at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the UFC actually spruced up the walkouts a little, giving each fighter their own graphics- with Merab’s machine-inspired to match his nickname.
THE MACHINE ON THE BIG SCREEN 🇬🇪
[ #UFC311 LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | @IntuitDome ] pic.twitter.com/IVmqR0cVPk
— UFC (@ufc) January 19, 2025
With three undefeated fighters in Clayton Carpenter, Rinya Nakamura, and Payton Talbott losing their 0s earlier in the night, Nurmagomedov was looking to buck the trend.
Despite the heated build-up to the fight, with Nurmagomedov calling Dvalishvili a “paper champ,” and the champ losing his cool and claiming the challenger was disrespectful, there was a glove touch to start the fight. Once it got underway, there was a bit of a feeling out process- neither man opted to charge in recklessly, and for good reason.
Instead, there were a number of fanned kicks, and a gulf of space between them. That finally changed 90 seconds in, with Nurmagomedov landing first. But as they came together moments later, it was the champ landing.
Nail-biter might have been the best way to describe the early minutes of the UFC 311 co-main event. Dvalishvili would connect with an overhand right, keeping Nurmagomedov on his toes. He punched his way into a clinch, and when the takedown wasn’t there, Merab opted to go to the body a few times.
Settling down, Nurmagomedov found his range, shot in on a single-leg takedown attempt, and when stuffed, chased after the champ with a jump knee. Dvalishvili escaped; they’d clinch with a minute left, but neither man had the upper hand. Nurmagomedov’s kicks, and left hand, began to find their mark, and late in the round, Umar landed a right as well that sent Dvalishvili backpedaling.
That final significant strike in round one might have moved the needle to Umar in terms of winning the round. Round two saw the champ go on the attack, only to get clipped by a couple of counters. Dvalishvili held his own, but it was Nurmagomedov landing a left in tight. Dvalishvili then ducked down, thinking takedown, but that was easily stuffed.
Back at center, just over three minutes on the clock in round two, and Dvalishvili grabbed a leg. Umar sprawled, scrambled, and wound up taking the back, one hook in after a superb reversal. The champ escaped, however, back to his feet no worse for the wear. Merab would fire an overhand then close the distance moments later, only for Nurmagomedov to fight him off. Nurmagomedov then tried his own takedown attempt, with Merab defending. A single-leg by Merab, and Umar pulled free. Dvalishvili then pressed, swinging, changed levels, and looked for a takedown, but Nurmagomedov again showed excellent takedown defense.
Round three opened with a single-leg attempt by Merab. It was briefly landed, but Umar scrambled free, and they reset at center. A spinning back fist by Merab missed, then both men landed counters in an exchange. Dvalishvili continued to set up takedown entries with his hands, which had Nurmagomedov biting on the feints. Dvalishvili then stuffed a takedown, and dumped Umar on his back a moment later. Ninety seconds left, and Dvalishvili landed a takedown, only for Nurmagomedov to elevate him with his legs, roll through, and come up in control – though Merab reversed, while chatting with the UFC broadcast team.
Seriously.
At the end of the round, Nurmagomedov put on a body lock from behind, but struggled to take Dvalishvili down. The champ held out his hands, showboating a little before Nurmagomedov completed the attempt. No time was left to work, however.
Ahead of the championship rounds, Dvalishvili’s corner urged him to push the pace. Nurmagomedov’s corner, meanwhile, urged him not to dip his head when Dvalishvili timed his entries. And to start round four, it was Dvalishvili doing just that, working on another takedown attempt, then another. The second one landed. A third followed. 90 seconds in, and Merab had shot for three takedowns, and landed two. Yet again, Nurmagomedov made it back up. He fired a high kick, but fell short. Then shot for a takedown of his own, but was too far out.
The champ, meanwhile, went to the body of a tiring Umar Nurmagomedov. An exchange saw both men land. Nurmagomedov fought off another takedown. A right hand landed for the champ. Then back to the body went Merab. Nurmagomedov grabbed a leg, and Dvalishvili essentially just walked away from the challenger. Nurmagomedov wound up with a high-crotch single, with Merab defending with ease. Nurmagomedov appeared to be draining. Merab punched in, and landed the most definitive takedown of the fight, with 30 seconds on the clock. “The Machine,” well named, was putting on the machine-like pace as only he could.
After four rounds, there was a very strong argument that the fight was tied two rounds a piece. Five minutes or less for glory lay ahead. Dvalishvili was clearly lighter on his feet twenty minutes in. He fanned on a back fist. Then changed levels for a takedown that was fought off. Merab landed a leg kick, inside first, then another to the outside. A takedown attempt followed, stuffed. Then another. Then a third, off a right hand. Nurmagomedov was still standing, but 90 seconds had ticked off the clock. A fourth takedown attempt by the champ put Nurmagomedov on the fence. Again, the challenger stayed standing.
Near the midway mark of the final round, it was Umar shooting for a takedown. That was stuffed. Both men landed a punch in an exchange. Nurmagomedov went to the body with a kick. Then it was Dvalishvili in on another takedown attempt, and another still, chaining them together. Nurmagomedov found space for a kick. In the final minute, Dvalishvili landed a right hand, then dumped Nurmagoemdov, playing it up to the crowd. Another takedown landed, and this time, Merab had the back, through Umar made it up – only to be taken down again! That took them to the bell, with Merab Dvalishvili becoming the first man to take down Umar Nurmagomedov in the UFC – and the first man to defeat him, ever.
Merab Dvalishvili thanked his home country of Georgia, his adopted country of America, and told fans to believe in themselves after retaining his title. Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, will almost certainly work his way back to the top in the not too distant future, and an eventual rematch would be a welcome development.
Official Result: Merab Dvalishvili def. Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)