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At UFC 311, Merab Dvalishvili defeated Umar Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision to defend his bantamweight title for the first time. Ahead of his second title defense against Sean O'Malley at UFC 316, 'The Machine' revealed that he did not consider Nurmagomedov a threat when they clashed.
Speaking on the UFC 316 countdown, Dvalishvili said that he considered Nurmagomedov as "just another fighter" against whom the Georgian did not feel "any danger."
"I know, Umar, how good he was and how dangerous he was, but I was ready for this challenge. My game plan was to outstrike him, but I keep it smart. I started mixing up takedown attempts. I don't feel any danger. I just felt that he was just another fighter, another sparring partner. As long as I keep at my best, I know I can win. Now, I showed the world. I beat Umar, I'm still champion and I want to keep this belt."
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Check out Merab Dvalishvili's comments below (11:27):
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Dvalishvili was able to hand Nurmagomedov his first loss in his mixed martial arts career. 'The Machine' will look to extend his winning streak to 13 when he faces O'Malley in a rematch of their UFC 306 clash, which he won via unanimous decision to capture the bantamweight title.
Merab Dvalishvili sheds light on which opponent he wants next
Merab Dvalishvili has revealed that, after Sean O'Malley, he hopes to fight two more times in 2025. He recently doubled down on those claims, while revealing a potential opponent for his next bout. Speaking to MMA Junkie, 'The Machine' said he wants to fight No.4 ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen next.
"I want to be busy. Like I said in another interview, I will be happy if I will fight two more times this year. So, it looks like Cory Sandhagen is ready for me and we've never fought each other. He is a great contender, he's fought everybody, he has a good style, he is a good fighter, we all know. He beat a lot of guys in our division."
Dvalishvili added:
"I don't mind to take another quick turnaround fight and then fight one more in the end of this year, either in New York or here in my new home in Las Vegas."
Check out Merab Dvalishvili's comments below:
