Merab Dvalishvili’s first title protection is simply across the nook and he expects Umar Nurmagomedov to fall like all the remainder.
When Dvalishvili makes the stroll to the octagon for the UFC 311 co-main occasion on Jan. 18, he’ll be doing so on an 11-fight win streak, which was capped off by his bantamweight championship conquer Sean O’Malley this previous September. Regardless of initially not sounding obsessed with being matched up with Nurmagomedov—presently No. 1 at 135 kilos within the MMA Preventing International Rankings—Dvalishvili is absolutely centered on the undefeated challenger now and he expects his ability set will show to be superior on combat evening.
“I’m going to point out Georgian wrestling and Georgian toughness and I’m going to interrupt the man,” Dvalishvili advised Michael Bisping on the Consider You Me podcast. “It’s going to be a fantastic combat. Umar is an effective fighter, however normally after I combat towards good fighters and towards powerful fighters I all the time present up. So long as I’m wholesome, I’m good, and I’ll be wonderful. It’s going to be a fantastic combat.
“I’m not anticipating any simple combat from Umar. As a fighter, I all the time respect him, and I’ve all the time recognized he’s an excellent fighter, and I’m excited to combat an excellent fighter like Umar. He’s undefeated and I’m going to vary his report.”
Dvalishvili’s run to the highest of his division has been marked by his highly effective wrestling and relentless tempo, which has carried him to wins over O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, and Marlon Moraes, amongst others. Towards O’Malley, Dvalishvili expertly used his grappling to defuse O’Malley’s vaunted placing en path to a commanding choice win.
Nonetheless, when Dvalishvili squares off with Nurmagomedov, he expects to point out off all facets of his sport.
“I’m prepared for placing,” Dvalishvili stated. “I’m not going to look to take him down, management, lay on high like O’Malley. I’m going to punch his face, kick his legs, preserve it on the ft, and I’m going to point out an excellent combat. It’s going to be a fantastic combat, even when it’s going to be a variety of scrapping, a variety of exchanges. I consider it’s going to be Struggle of the Evening.”
Through the years, Dvalishvili has proven he’s not only a dominant competitor within the cage, he’s additionally a jokester exterior of it. The Georgian native ceaselessly posts comedic movies on his social media channels that poke enjoyable at his rivals.
The lead-up to UFC 311 has been largely devoid of such antics and Dvalishvili has an excellent cause for that.
“I’m further centered for my subsequent combat,” Dvalishvili stated. “Additionally, Umar, he doesn’t deserve [for me] to make enjoyable of him. I’m not going to joke with him. It’s critical, it’s a critical, critical battle, and I don’t have time for jokes now. … At first, I didn’t need this combat as a result of I’m like, how am I going to make enjoyable of him, how am I going to joke with him, he’s from a unique world, he doesn’t perceive, particularly he disrespected me now.
“However I don’t assume we’ve to advertise this combat. I don’t have to advertise this combat, I’m a champion now. He has to advertise this combat if he needs, however to not disrespect me and name me faux champion. We’re combating co-main occasion, however I feel most followers are excited for our combat most.”
Ought to Dvalishvili defeat Nurmagomedov, it will take away a serious hurdle from his path. However that doesn’t imply the champion sees clear crusing forward as he’s beforehand talked about wanting rematches with O’Malley and Yan, and he additionally has his eye on recent challenges.
“[Mario] Bautista, he has a seven-fight win streak now and he’s an excellent contender additionally,” Dvalishvili stated. “After which I did beat Petr, however rematch shall be attention-grabbing now. O’Malley may have a unique sport plan now. He landed two punches or one thing, I felt it. He can actually knock individuals out and he has actually has energy, he hits actually laborious.
“Then subsequent combat shall be subsequent problem. There are guys which can be developing, I do know there are guys within the high 15, I simply don’t actually bear in mind the title, however I feel the No. 15 and No. 14 guys they’re actually good. They’ve lengthy win streaks additionally. There are such a lot of. I’m excited, I simply need to be busy now.”
