Merab Dvalishvili recently voiced his belief that a former UFC champion is far more deserving of the next bantamweight title shot than rising star Umar Nurmagomedov.
Dvalishvili is gearing up for his first title opportunity against bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley in the main event of UFC 306, which is set to go down next weekend at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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"The Machine", currently riding an impressive 10-fight win streak, has been relentlessly campaigning for this title shot but already has someone in mind who he believes is more fitting for the next opportunity. Following Nurmagomedov’s dominant unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi last month, there's been growing chatter that the undefeated Dagestani is the frontrunner to face the winner of the upcoming O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili showdown.
However, Dvalishvili thinks that former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is the more rightful contender for the next bantamweight title shot over Nurmagomedov...
Dvalishvili Shares His Rationale For Choosing Figueiredo Over Nurmagomedov
During a recent interview with SHAK MMA, "The Machine" was asked to weigh in on who he believes deserves the next crack at the 135-pound title. The 33-year-old Georgian fighter acknowledged that while Nurmagomedov is undeniably talented, he still has more to prove in the division.
I don't know because he [Nurmagomedov] never fought somebody—well, not never; he only fought one guy from the top 15," Dvalishvili said. "And the guy, Sandhagen, gave him a hard time, and how would I know? He fights people who are nobody, and they gave him #2. Yes, he got the win, but I mean, he's a good fighter for sure, but he hasn't earned it to be here.
In contrast, Dvalishvili thinks "Deus da Guerra" has already solidified his place by showcasing his skills against three of the division's top contenders.
Figueiredo deserves to fight for the title next because he beat three top contenders. He finished one former champion, he dominated title challenger [Marlon] 'Chito' Vera, he beat Rob Font, and he finished Cody Garbrandt. Figueiredo is a former champion, he has a big name, and he called my name respectfully. I would like to return that respect, and I believe he is more deserving. Umar, I'm not interested.
Figueiredo secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over Vera at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, extending his undefeated streak to 3-0 since moving up to the bantamweight division.
The Brazilian standout also threw down the gauntlet, offering to serve as the backup fighter for the highly anticipated O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili title bout. However, the UFC has yet to confirm any plans regarding his involvement.