Umar Nurmagomedov shuts down Merab Dvalishvili's allegations of being favored by the UFC due to Khabib connection with one-line response
UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov didn't take too kindly to Merab Dvalishvili's recent allegation and snapped back with a one-liner.
'Young Eagle' has his eyes set on the 135-pound title. While some have questioned his legitimacy as the next challenger, the Russian has done nothing but dominate his opponents, as evidenced by his perfect 18-0 MMA record.
Among the naysayers is the title challenger at Noche UFC, who recently claimed the promotional push the Russian is getting has something to do with him being the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The 28-year-old appeared annoyed with the allegation, as he took to X to respond to the Georgian with a scathing remark:
"He have to teach himself how have to be man."
The back and forth started when 'The Machine' was asked about his opinion on the surging contender and potential next title challenger, who is coming off of a decision victory over Cory Sandhagen last month.
The Georgian has no doubt that he experienced a steeper climb to the top. He was only offered his upcoming title shot after beating three former champions, Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo.
That perceived unfairness didn't sit well with the Georgian, as he claimed the reason lies in the 28-year-old's last name and his relationship with former lightweight kingpin Khabib.
Speaking with Damon Martin of MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili asserted:
"You don't fight nobody and now you just got here because your last name is Nurmagomedov, because you're Khabib's cousin. If you ask them, they don't like trash talk, but they talk trash and they're acting like they're tough when it's in front of cameras. Good for him, but he has to grow up and he has to be more [of a] man. He has to respect fighters here. We've been here a long time and he's acting a little bit disrespectful."
Petr Yan doesn't see "anything special" in Umar Nurmagomedov
Umar Nurmagomdov may have solidified his contention for the bantamweight title by beating the No. 4-ranked Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision last month, but even if he secures the title down the line, the road ahead appears treacherous. Dangerous contenders are lining up to stake their claim at the 135-pound throne.
Among them is former champion Petr Yan, who's always a win or two away from fighting for the belt. Recently, 'No Mercy' disregarded the hype behind the undefeated grappler and denied seeing "anything special" about his fellow countryman.
In a recent interview with Ushatayka, Yan was asked about the bantamweight title picture and if he sees Nurmagomedov as invincible as he's made out to be by some.
'No Mercy' rejected seeing any threat in the contender:
"No, I don't see anything special. Yes, he is strong, young, and he keeps winning fights, but call him special? No, I don't think so. Four years ago, I was doing as great as he is now. I didn't see any threat in any of them and was ready to fight three opponents on the same night."
Check out Petr Yan's comments on Umar Nurmagomedov below: