UFC Star Makes Pick for Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

UFC's Cory Sandhagen reveals his pick for Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov.

Christopher De Santiago | Sep 19, 2024

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Merab Dvalishvili likely has his hands full in his first title defense.

Nothing's official quite yet following Dvalishvili's title win over Sean O'Malley at UFC 306, but from the looks of it, the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov will be next in line for the bantamweight strap.

Cousin of Khabib, Umar was front and center for the action at Sphere, standing as the #2 bantamweight contender following the biggest win of his career - a decision effort over Cory Sandhagen in August.

Umar addresses the Merab beef 😳 pic.twitter.com/ovuQtlSqA0
— Pound 4 Pound (@pound4poundshow) September 19, 2024

Regarded as one of the most high-level players of the 135lb division, Sandhagen wasn't able to have his way against Nurmagomedov, being outworked in both the striking and grappling departments in their five-round fight over the summer.

Top Contender Calls Out Sean O’Malley after Merab Dvalishvili Loss

Sandhagen Weighs In On Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

We're left to fill in the blanks of how Nurmagomedov's all-around game will do against someone of Dvalishvili's caliber, a cardio machine with relentless takedowns - making the potential matchup all the more interesting considering Nurmagomedov's body of work as a grappler and what his family name is known for: domination.

"Umar is a way better striker than Merab, but also so is Sean," Sandhagen told Fanatics View. "I guess the only difference is that will Umar be able to stop the shots? I say that with a lot of caution because I know that Umar is a really phenomenal wrestler, but also at the same time, like, Merab is a different level of grappler than I think that the division's probably seen."

The Grappling Edge Goes To...

Dvalishvili has hung in there with elite wrestlers before, training consistently with former UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling and even taking down 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo a total of five times in their fight at UFC 298 in February, and that's ultimately why Sandhagen gives the new champ the grappling advantage over Nurmagomedov.

"The adjustments Merab was making, the reads that he ws [making], the way that he was able to chain wrestle, it was just so good. And that's against Henry Cejudo, who won an Olympic medal at [21]. I think that Merab is still gonna have a bit of the grappling edge," Sandhagen said.

Though, Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov isn't a grappling match. This is MMA, with more layers to the story as the former title challenger would point out.

"The problem with Merab's grappling is that he doesn't really pin people to the mat or take their back... O'Malley was able to get up. Not the easiest in the world, but when he did kinda really go for get ups, he was able to get up," Sandhagen said. "I don't know that Merab's grappling, that's something that if I were him, I would really work on because Umar - even if he does take Umar down - is not going to be a easy guy to hold down."

UFC Star Makes Pick for Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Sandhagen Sees Nurmagomedov Outpointing Dvalishvili

All in all, Cory Sandhagen leans towards Umar Nurmagomedov in his early prediction for the potential bantamweight title fight given the vast striking difference between the two.

"Umar is just a way, way better striker. That's gonna be really hard for Merab," Sandhagen continued. "I would go for Umar just because the striking is so much different, and then Merab's grappling isn't necessarily tailored towards holding people down. Umar is a much better grappler than O'Malley. I think that that's likely how it'll go, being mostly standing and Umar getting off a lot of points and just outpointing Merab."