Umar Nurmagomedov Wants Merab Dvalishvili Rematch More Than UFC Gold, Labels Song Yadong a ‘Punching Bag’

Redemption Over Gold: Umar Nurmagomedov Opens Up on His Desire to Run It Back With Merab Dvalishvili

For the 30-year-old, revenge is spelled Merab Dvalishvili. After suffering the first loss of his professional career via unanimous decision to the Georgian in a bid for the bantamweight title at UFC 311 in Los Angeles, Nurmagomedov has rebounded impressively.

The Dagestani has since picked up consecutive victories over Mario Bautista and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo to reclaim the No. 3 spot in the UFC's 135-pound rankings.

Speaking to Adam Zubayraev of Red Corner MMA, Nurmagomedov admitted that avenging his lone defeat means more to him than another shot at UFC gold.

"Honestly, the only thing that I need from this sport is a rematch, even more than the belt. If someone asked me, 'What would you rather have, a chance to fight for the belt or take a rematch?' I'd want the rematch."

The Russian explained that his desire for a second meeting stems from wanting to know how the fight would have unfolded had he entered the Octagon fully healthy and properly prepared - 

"First of all, I'm curious myself how I'd have fought if I hadn't gotten injured. For me personally, it's an open question."

Nurmagomedov then pointed to fellow countryman Petr Yan's resurgence as an example of why injuries shouldn't always be dismissed as excuses.

He added, "For example, take Petr Yan's first fight and his second fight. Everyone said it was an excuse, and in the second fight, when he was already healthy, it turned out it wasn't an excuse at all. That's why I'm curious for myself too." 

Adding on, he also mentioned that he took the fight hastily and took the blame on himself, stating, "That fight, you know how it was, my hand was broken, I was relaxed, I didn't even really train much. Honestly, I think I was stupid." 

"He's a Punching Bag" - Nurmagomedov Left Unimpressed by Song Yadong's Loss to Sean O'Malley

Despite making it abundantly clear that avenging his lone professional defeat against Merab Dvalishvili remains his top priority, Nurmagomedov didn't shy away from discussing a potential showdown with Song Yadong. In fact, the Dagestani contender appeared more disappointed than impressed by the Chinese standout's most recent outing against former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley.

Yadong faced O'Malley in the co-main event of UFC 324, stepping in after the highly anticipated Amanda Nunes-Kayla Harrison matchup fell through due to Harrison's injury. 

While the Team Alpha Male product had moments of success, particularly with his wrestling and pressure in the opening two rounds, O'Malley's movement, stance switches, and late striking flurries proved enough to earn a unanimous decision victory.

But Nurmagomedov saw the fight quite differently. "Of course I'm interested. He's a punching bag. How did he do against Sean O'Malley? He was dead by the third round. Fourth round, he was taking knees to the face. I don't consider him a top-class fighter, honestly."

The former title challenger was equally dismissive of Yadong's skill set, suggesting that the Chinese bantamweight relies too heavily on his punching power - 

"The only thing he has is that one punch. That's it. What else does he have? For me, it's an easy fight. But of course, I will prepare to take him out, no underestimation. I'm really disappointed when he fought O'Malley like that. It was such an even fight." 

Whether the UFC decides to pair Nurmagomedov with Yadong down the line remains to be seen. For now, the 30-year-old has business to attend to. He is slated to welcome surging prospect David Martinez to the Octagon on July 25, with another statement victory potentially bringing him one step closer to the Dvalishvili rematch he covets more than championship gold itself.