Merab Dvalishvili delivered the biggest shocker of 2025 at the year’s first UFC pay-per-view event, held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The reigning bantamweight champion, known as ‘The Machine,’ silenced his doubters and solidified his status as the division’s best. Facing the formidable and previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili showcased grit, heart, and skill in a grueling five-round war.

Despite battling through an injury himself, he managed to edge out Nurmagomedov by securing three rounds on the judges’ scorecards. However, it was later found out that the challenger broke his hand during the fight which hampered his striking. But how serious is the injury? Daniel Cormier has an update for you.

Daniel Cormier feels Umar Nurmagomedov has a tough few months ahead of him

Heading into the fight, it was no secret that Umar Nurmagomedov had been recovering from an injury. However, both he and his coach from the American Kickboxing Academy assured everyone that he was back to full strength. “The way I see it, sparring has been going great. Everything feels solid in training. No excuses,” said Mendez and declared Nurmagomedov fit before the bout. Yet, during the co-main event, the reality of his physical condition began to surface.

After the fight, while speaking to Joe Rogan, the challenger made a shocking revelation both for the fans and his camp. He said, “After the first round, I couldn’t punch because I think I broke my hand. The game went like that. Alhamdulillah.” Umar Nurmagomedov’s manager later went on to share a picture of his broken hand on his X account to confirm the news. So what’s next for the 29-year-old highly talented fighter? Daniel Cormier and Ben Askren sat down to discuss who could the Dagestani fighter fight next in the division on Cormier’s YouTube channel.

Askren has high hopes of seeing a clash between Sean O’Malley and ‘Young Eagle’ and said, “I sure thought Sean vs Umar would be a lot of fun.” However, ‘DC’ was quick to point out that this won’t be possible at the moment and further added, “Umar broke his hand I think. And it was a bad hand break. I think he’s gonna be out for a while. Did you see the pictures of his hand?” This defeat marks a significant blow to Umar Nurmagomedov’s once-flawless record, and it’s evident that his own choices contributed to the outcome. It’s a textbook example of “shooting yourself in the foot”.

Despite suffering a broken hand in the opening round, Umar Nurmagomedov put on an impressive display of skill and determination. However, his efforts fell short against Merab Dvalishvili in one of the most important fights of his career. While many have criticized him for his performance his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov shared some inspiring words for him.

Khabib Nurmagomedov shares a motivating message for ‘Young Eagle’

UFC 311 turned out to be a challenging night for the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. As a coach, he guided his cousin with precision, but an untimely injury disrupted their game plan, ultimately leaving Umar unable to keep up with Merab Dvalishvili’s relentless cardio. The loss hit particularly hard for Khabib, whose family is unaccustomed to setbacks in their storied MMA careers. After the fight, ‘The Eagle’ shared a heartfelt message of support for his cousin, offering words of encouragement following the tough experience of defeat.

Khabib Nurmagomedov turned to Instagram to share a photo of himself and Javier Mendez standing by the Octagon during UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in California. In the caption, he reflected on the tough night, acknowledging the challenges they faced, before sharing his thoughts on Umar’s performance. He wrote, “[Umar] keep your head up Junior, yesterday you showed that you are one of the best in the world, at the moment we have something to work on, we will work on the mistakes and return to the title race.” 

Umar Nurmagomedov’s road back to the title won’t be an easy one. To earn another shot at the belt, he will likely need a victory over a highly-ranked contender before Dana White considers him for title contention again.

When do you think the Dagestani fighter will make a return to the Octagon next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below