Umar Nurmagomedov walked into the UFC and took the Bantamweight division by storm. The cousin of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar, built a strong early career with a wrestling and sambo base that fit the division’s mold perfectly.

After signing with the promotion with an undefeated record in 2021, he quickly made noise with crisp grappling, slick control, and finishes that had pundits hyping him as a future title contender. He kept tearing through opponents and was stacking up victories, maintaining his elite status until his first stumble in a title fight.

Umar Nurmagomedov’s loss

Umar Nurmagomedov has one professional MMA loss on his record. Until that moment, he had moved through his career untouched, building a reputation as one of the most technically sound bantamweights in the sport. Umar Nurmagomedov holds an impressive 19-1 professional record, with his only loss coming after a dominant, untouched run through the bantamweight division.

Who handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first career defeat?

At UFC 311 on January 18, 2025, Merab Dvalishvili handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first professional MMA loss. The Georgian warrior, known for his relentless pace and cardio, defended his UFC bantamweight title and won a unanimous decision over Umar after five hard rounds in the co-main event. It was a grinding battle where Merab’s wrestling and durability kept him just ahead on the scorecards, ending Umar’s unbeaten streak. At the time, Team Khabib showed their support for the Young Eagle, trying to cheer him up following his first career loss.

This fight marked a turning point and taught Umar some tough lessons at the very top of the division. A classic example of how even elite fighters hit a wall when styles and experience collide under championship pressure.

What Went Wrong for Umar Nurmagomedov in That Loss?

The fight started fast, almost recklessly so. Both Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov came out swinging in the opening round, setting a brutal pace early. Umar actually had his moments on the feet, landing a sharp right hand that caught the champion’s attention. For stretches, Merab chose to engage in kickboxing exchanges, and Umar looked cleaner in several of those early sequences. The problem was that the tempo never dipped, which favors Merab more than almost anyone in the division.

As the fight wore on, the momentum quietly shifted. Dvalishvili mixed his wrestling more effectively in the third round, using a varied attack to disrupt Umar’s rhythm and edge ahead. By the fourth, Merab’s trademark cardio became the difference-maker, as an increasingly fatigued Umar struggled to keep up with the pressure. The fifth round sealed it. Dvalishvili scored a late takedown and looked fresh enough to keep going, underlining that endurance rather than skill was the defining gap on the night.

How Does This Loss Impact Umar Nurmagomedov’s UFC Future?

Umar Nurmagomedov will never share the spotless 29-0 legacy his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov built, and that reality matters not emotionally, but historically. The undefeated aura was always part of the Nurmagomedov mythos, and losing it removes some of the automatic pressure and expectation that followed Umar into every fight. But here’s the reality check. Very few champions in modern MMA stay undefeated, such as Ilia Topuria(17-0) and Khamzat Chimaev(15-0), especially in divisions as deep and chaotic as bantamweight. Losing at UFC 311 was heartbreaking for Umar, and his cousin Khabib and his team helped the Young Eagle overcome the loss.

From a competitive standpoint, this was only Umar’s second true test against elite opposition. His win over Cory Sandhagen proved he belongs among the division’s best, but the loss to Merab exposed a different layer of championship-level fighting, sustained pace across five rounds against a cardio monster. For now, the belt belongs firmly to Dvalishvili, whose 12-fight winning streak isn’t flashy but brutally effective. Umar doesn’t leave this loss broken or pushed down the ladder; he leaves it educated. With time, smarter pacing, and more 5-round experience, he still looks like a future title threat, just not the finished product yet.