Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fight camp wasn’t thrilled with the start of the 33rd edition of the Paris Olympics 2024, but their tune has changed. Recently, Russian-born Bulgarian Magomed Ramazanov clinched the gold medal in 86 kg wrestling, defeating Iran’s Hassan Yazdani in a thrilling match. Additionally, Dauren Kurugliev brought home the bronze medal. Umar Nurmagomedov couldn’t contain his excitement, sharing his joy on his Instagram story.

Applauding Kurugliev’s Degestani heritage, Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram, “How not to rejoice at the success of your brothers. Bombshell. Dagestan holds the bar.” Magomed Ramazanov was born in a village near Desgtan, and he currently represents Bulgaria, not Dagestan, in competitions. Despite not fighting for Dagestan, he shares a common Avar heritage with Nurmagomedov. Dauren Kurugliev, on the other hand, represented Russia in the Olympics until 2022, winning two gold medals in the 86 kg category at the Wrestling World Cup.

In 2023, he moved to Greece and began representing Greece at the international level. Meanwhile, Umar Nurmagomedov is riding high after extending his winning streak to six fights with a recent victory over Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ABC 7. He showcased his striking and wrestling combination to secure a decision win at the Etihad Arena. Now, he’s eyeing a title shot against either Sean O’Malley or his challenger, Merab Dvalishvili.

However, Dvalishvili dismissed these claims, expressing his disapproval of Nurmagomedov’s intentions. Instead, Dvalishvili prefers Deiveson Figueiredo as the suitable challenger for the bantamweight title. He also shared his thoughts on Nurmagomedov’s recent fight against Cory Sandhagen.

Merab Dvalishvili on Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Cory Sandhagen

UFC surprised everyone in early 2024 by matching the number two bantamweight contender, Cory Sandhagen, against the number ten contender, Umar Nurmagomedov. However, the biggest shock came after the fight when Nurmagomedov defeated Sandhagen, disrupting the bantamweight rankings. Nurmagomedov jumped from tenth to second, while Sandhagen dropped to fourth.

This significant jump has drawn criticism, with some believing it was a gift from the UFC to Nurmagomedov. Merab Dvalishvili, who is preparing to face Sean O’Malley at UFC Noche in September, is one of those who voiced their opinion on the same. The 33-year-old sat down for an interview with Helen Yee, where they discussed ongoing matters in the MMA world.

He spoke about the ‘Young Eagle’s’ win, saying, “That was a good fight. Umar win this fight. Congratulations to him. That was a good gift from the UFC. From number 11, no fight nobody in the top 15 to fight number 2. Cory was supposed to be next for the title I believe, but now, I am sorry Cory, but goodbye for the belt long time.”

Umar Nurmagomedov must now wait for the Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili fight to conclude before potentially stepping up for a title shot. Do you think the Dagestani will get a title shot anytime soon in the future? Let us know your views in the comments below.