“After the first round, I couldn’t punch because I think I broke my hand. The game went the other way.” Umar Nurmagomedov told Joe Rogan after receiving the first loss of his career against Merab Dvaslishvili at UFC 311. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, later posted a gruesome image of Umar’s swollen fist on X. The fans were quick to question why he fought while injured. ‘Young Eagle’ held up well against the Georgian’s relentless pressure early on, but from the third round onward, it turned into the ‘Merab’ show.

It was a tough night for Team Khabib and their previously undefeated prospect, as Umar suffered his first professional loss after 18 straight wins. Now, nearly five months later, he is eyeing a return in October at the Abu Dhabi card. The promising bantamweight had previously stated, “As much as I want to, I’ll only be able to fight in October. Fighting with an injured hand is stupid. I’ll come back when I’m 100% healthy.”

However, as Umar prepares for his return, AKA head coach Javier Mendez revealed that his fighter never informed him about the hand injury before the UFC 311 co-main event. Speaking on the Overdogs podcast with Mike Perry, Mendez said, “He didn’t say one word to Khabib or I about, ‘My hand was broken,’ and I was kind of wondering why did he shoot in right away. He shot in, and when he shot in, and the way Merab stopped him right in his mid way, I go like Damn! ‘What the hell happened here?'”

He added, “But we as not hearing him, we don’t know what exactly what the hell is going on, what’s being said, because it echoes. So, I heard something about a broken hand, and my mind is thinking, ‘Why is Umar talking about a broken hand. His sparring was great, he didn’t show any indication that his hand was broken. So, right after the fight. I went back to the room after Islam’s fight, and there was Umar with his finger almost off. And I’m looking at him like that, saying ‘What the hell is this?’ I didn’t know! He broke it in the first round, he didn’t tell us, he didn’t show us, we didn’t know, I wish he had told us.”

Javier Mendez’s concern for his fighter is completely understandable. Facing Merab Dvalishvili for the title was a hard-earned opportunity, no doubt, but choosing to fight while injured likely cost Umar the bout and, more importantly, his flawless 18-fight undefeated streak. That said, it doesn’t mean Merab had an easy path to victory. However, according to the AKA coach, it was the bantamweight contender’s presentation that became the deciding factor for the win. 

Javier Mendez believes Merab Dvalishvili’s ‘showboating’ got him the victory against Umar Nurmagomedov

Merab Dvalishvili delivered the performance of his life against Umar Nurmagomedov in the UFC 311 co-main event. His relentless pace, champion-level skillset, and endless gas tank were a clear display of championship mettle. However, his excessive showboating drew criticism from many fans. AKA coach Javier Mendez somewhat agreed, acknowledging that ‘The Machine’s’ energy inside the Octagon was undeniable that night, but ultimately opined that Merab’s in-cage antics played a key role in swaying the judges in his favor.

Continuing his interview on the OverDogs podcast with Mike Perry, Mendez said, “This guy, it’s like he has never even gone one round, and I’m like, I knew that going into it we only need 5 rounds. This guy is an energizing bunny. We only need 5 rounds. But, look, that guy did a great performance, and in the 5th round he took that fight, not based on damage, but based on acting. If you watch the fight, turn it off, you’ll see the actual damage; there was no damage. As far as the presentation of who won, he won!”

Javier Mendez is partially right here. Merab’s showboating may have helped him edge the decision, but it didn’t come at the cost of his damaging output. He was all over Umar in the third round, pushing the pace and landing clean right hands. ‘The Machine’ fought a smart, high-IQ fight, using his cardio to effectively neutralize Umar’s grappling threat. 

That being said, as Umar Nurmagomedov gears up for his comeback in Abu Dhabi, do you think he’ll return with noticeable improvements? And who do you think he should fight next? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.