Is UFC Champion Merab Dvalishvili Being Overshadowed by Umar Nurmagomedov?
Now that UFC 306 is over, we’ve seen the skill of the new bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili (16-4), and the depth of the division. Though he may not be as dominant as Jon Jones (27-1), Dvalishvili has proven he belongs among the UFC elite.
And by belonging among the UFC elite, we mean by going through his own murderers row of elite level competition and coming out on top in dominant fashion. A trait any MMA fan would look for in a future all time great.
So far through his career Dvalishvili has beaten every active champion to have touched the UFC belt except for Garbrandt and Sterling (of course) and almost half of the total champions that have touched the belt since the inception of the bantamweight division.
Even with all of the accomplishments and such, it still leaves us as MMA fans of the UFC in a bind considering
Sean O'Malley (17-2), once favored to win, was shocked by Dvalishvili's dominant performance. O'Malley’s undefeated streak and knockout power made his loss even more surprising.
This fight highlighted the clash between elite strikers and grapplers. Now, the bantamweight division faces the question: will Dvalishvili hold his ground against rising contender Umar Nurmagomedov (16-0)?
With Umar’s grappling skills and legacy as Khabib’s cousin, fans are eager to see how the division will unfold. Could we be witnessing another elite grappler taking over? Even without a slew of wins over the most dangerous or skilled opponents, Umar has displayed the grappling aesthetics of that of his cousin Khabib, brother Usman and the willingness to engage like his teammates Islam Makhachev.
As much as some fans might be thrilled over the former UFC bantamweight champion, Sean O'Malley being dethroned. Are MMA fans not really thrilled with Merab ony because of his fighting style or because they just see him as a placeholder for the future champ Umar Nurmagomedov?
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