Umar Nurmagomedov Calls Out Merab Dvalishvili, Refuses to Wait for 2025: ‘I’ll Fight Anyone, Even King Kong

Umar Nurmagomedov has fired back at UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, making it clear that he’s not willing to wait until 2025 for a title shot. Instead, the undefeated fighter is ready to face anyone in the bantamweight division before the year ends, signaling his eagerness to stay active and work toward his goal of becoming the greatest.

Dvalishvili, a Georgian-American fighter, is riding an impressive 11-fight win streak and recently captured the UFC bantamweight title by dethroning ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley in a dominant performance at UFC 306 in Las Vegas on Sept. 14, 2024. During his post-fight interview, Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA) was asked about facing Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA), who was shown on screen as he watched from the crowd. The champion responded ambiguously, stating that he’d fight whoever the UFC booked next, but hinted that Deiveson Figueiredo, the No. 5-ranked bantamweight, deserved the next shot.

Dvalishvili also downplayed Nurmagomedov, calling him an easy fight and claiming he would defeat him without issue. This hasn’t sat well with Nurmagomedov, who has accused Dvalishvili of avoiding a fight with him. In a recent Instagram post, Nurmagomedov expressed his frustration, insisting he wants to fight before the year ends and even joked that he’d fight “King Kong” if necessary.

“I don’t want to wait until next year — I want to fight… Anyone, even if it’s King Kong — let them make weight and we’ll fight,” Nurmagomedov said in the post, emphasizing that staying active is critical for his goal of becoming the greatest fighter in MMA.

The tension between the two has continued to grow, with Nurmagomedov and other members of ‘Team Khabib’ taking shots at Dvalishvili. Islam Makhachev, another key figure in the camp, accused Dvalishvili of playing mind games, predicting that Nurmagomedov will eventually dethrone the current champion.

Dvalishvili, however, has argued that Nurmagomedov’s rise is largely due to his connection with his cousin, the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, rather than his achievements in the UFC. He also pointed out that Umar has only defeated one top-ranked contender, Cory Sandhagen, and suggested that his promotional push is undeserved.

The rivalry between the two fighters is heating up, with fans eagerly anticipating the official announcement of a potential matchup. While the UFC has yet to confirm the fight, many expect Dvalishvili to defend his title against Nurmagomedov in the near future, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated bantamweight showdowns in recent memory