6 hours Ago By Curtis Calhoun
UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov might return to the Octagon quicker than expected after suffering a broken hand last weekend. Umar Nurmagomedov ‘s bid to become the latest UFC champion as part of Team Khabib fell short at UFC 311 last Saturday against Merab Dvalishvili . Despite entering the Octagon as a modest favorite, Nurmagomedov struggled to fend off Dvalishvili’s pressure as the fight went on, ultimately losing by unanimous decision .
Nurmagomedov revealed in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that he believed he hurt his hand against Dvalishvili in the UFC 311 co-main event. His coach, Javier Mendez, later revealed that Nurmagomedov’s corner wasn’t aware of his hand injury as they communicated in between rounds. Originally, it was feared that Nurmagomedov wouldn’t be able to return to the Octagon until the end of 2025, but his manager Ali Abdelaziz provided some good news in a recent social media statement.
READ MORE: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Islam Makhachev lightweight GOAT debate settled as ex-champion makes ‘more well-rounded’ claim Umar Nurmagomedov is expected to return by summer’s end after hand surgery “Umar is getting a surgery tomorrow on his hand, he will be back in the cage mid or late summer,” Abdelaziz tweeted Tuesday. Nurmagomedov believes he deserved the win on the judges’ scorecards at UFC 311 over Dvalishvili.
Many fans and pundits viewed Nurmagomedov as winning the first two rounds of the fight, while Dvalishvili’s pace and pressure led to him taking the final three. Umar, the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov , was unbeaten through his first 18 professional fights leading up to the UFC 311 co-main event. He earned recent wins over Cory Sandhagen and Bekzat Almakhan on his quick ascent to the title shot.
After losing for the first time in his career, Nurmagomedov will look to get back on track with his next appearance in the Octagon this summer. Sean O’Malley , who lost to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September, is a potential fit for his return opponent. READ MORE: ‘I was intoxicated’.
.. Michael Bisping reveals details of wild night out with Georges St-Pierre and other famous athletes Umar Nurmagomedov gets some good news as he pursues Merab Dvalishvili rematch In his first UFC title fight, Nurmagomedov was a modest favorite against the titleholder Dvalishvili at UFC 311.
But Dvalishvili outpaced Nurmagomedov on the feet and ground, despite taking some heavy shots over the first two rounds of the fight. Nurmagomedov defeated the likes of Raoni Barcelos, Nate Maness, and Brian Kelleher on his way to the bantamweight Top 15. Before debuting with the UFC in Jan.
2021, Nurmagomedov enjoyed brief stints in PFL and Fight Nights Global. If all goes well with Nurmagomedov’s hand surgery and recovery, he could be set up for another massive fight by summer’s end. A win in his return could be enough to earn himself a rematch with Dvalishvili after their ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate.
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