UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili says he won’t grapple Umar Nurmagomedov. He sees no upside in giving a rival a free look on the mat. Dvalishvili had been booked to wrestle Henry Cejudo at RAF 8 before the card was reshuffled, per AOL.
Dvalishvili, who beat Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025, told AOL that a sport-grappling exhibition with the Dagestani would just hand tape to a future opponent. The champion would rather take matchups outside the 135-pound title picture.
Nurmagomedov, for his part, hasn’t publicly pushed for a grappling bout. The 30-year-old has spent 2025 and early 2026 rebuilding his case for a second shot at the belt inside the cage, not on the mats.
Where Umar stands in the division
Nurmagomedov bounced back from the Dvalishvili loss with two unanimous decisions. He outpointed Mario Bautista at UFC 321 in October 2025, then beat former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026. That run pushed his record to 20-1 and put him back as the clearest contender at 135.
His bantamweight résumé now includes wins over Cory Sandhagen, Bautista and Figueiredo. The Dvalishvili decision is the only blemish. The striking has carried him in those decisions — 4.08 significant strikes landed per minute, 64.3% accuracy per ESPN — even if finishes have dried up.
Javier Mendez, his head coach at American Kickboxing Academy, has spoken publicly about Nurmagomedov’s headspace as he readies another title push.
What’s next
The UFC hasn’t announced Nurmagomedov’s next opponent, and Dvalishvili’s next title defense is still unconfirmed. A rematch is the obvious commercial play given Nurmagomedov’s two-fight rebound, but the champion has hinted in recent months that he wants fresh names before going back to that one.
For now, the grappling subplot is dead. Dvalishvili’s refusal, as relayed by AOL, keeps the next chapter of this rivalry inside the Octagon — on a date the promotion has yet to set.
