UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili made a bold statement at UFC 311, defending his title in a thrilling co-headliner. In his first defense, ‘The Machine’ humbled Umar Nurmagomedov in a grueling five-round battle. Dvalishvili’s dominance not only resulted in a hard-fought victory but also snapped Nurmagomedov’s impressive 18-fight win streak, challenging the “untouchable” aura surrounding Dagestani fighters.

His performance left many in the MMA world stunned, especially analysts who had predicted a Nurmagomedov victory, including flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson. Mighty Mouse had confidently picked Nurmagomedov to win, doubting the Georgian’s ability to hold up in his first title defense. However, the judges’ scorecards (48-47, 49-46, 48-47) told a completely different story, with Dvalishvili securing the win.

Weeks later, Johnson opened up about the fight in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports’ Andrew Whitelaw. When asked about his thoughts on Dvalishvili’s victory over Nurmagomedov, Johnson admitted, “I was impressed with Merab beating Umar.” He went on to praise Dvalishvili’s ability to adapt his game plan against different opponents, whether facing a heavy wrestler like Henry Cejudo or a dynamic striker like Sean O’Malley.

Reflecting on his earlier misjudgment, Johnson acknowledged, “I didn’t think he was going to be able to take him down as much, and I didn’t think Umar was going to be able to take him down. But I knew it would come down to who could execute the wrestling better—who could impose their will in that area.”

Before UFC 311, Johnson made headlines when he joined the training camps of Umar Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, alongside their coach and friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov. During this period, Johnson assisted them in refining their grappling and wrestling techniques. Despite his close involvement with their camps, the 125lbs juggernaut did not anticipate that ‘Young Eagle’ would stumble in his pursuit of victory.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s light-hearted banter with Demetrious Johnson

The Nurmagomedov family is widely known, with high-profile figures like Khabib, Umar, and Usman consistently making headlines. However, one member, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, has remained somewhat in the background. Despite an impressive record of 17-4-1, Abubakar’s UFC career has not quite met the high expectations set for him.

With a 2-2 record in the UFC, he has been absent from the promotion since 2023. One factor that might have contributed to this is his involvement in online gaming, particularly PUBG, alongside Demetrious Johnson. Mighty Mouse, a well-known former gamer, now spends his time podcasting and gaming in his retirement.

Recently, Johnson shared a video with Team Khabib at the UFC’s APEX facility. In the video, Khabib Nurmagomedov jokingly blamed Johnson for Abubakar’s loss, saying, “Because of you, you take him [Abubakar Nurmagomedov] all the time to game, he loses one fight. I remember, I remember this.”

Johnson replied, mentioning he hadn’t seen Abubakar online lately, prompting Khabib to humorously respond, “We broke his computer.” While Khabib’s words were lighthearted, Abubakar, now 35, has signed with the new GPL promotion, marking a fresh chapter in his career with a Dagestani debut.

What do you think about Demetrious Johnson’s prediction? Do you believe it was biased, considering he only sparred with Umar Nurmagomedov? Should analysts, including Johnson, evaluate both fighters’ skills more thoroughly before making such predictions? Share your thoughts below.