INGLEWOOD, Calif. –The fight is happening, but Umar Nurmagomedov is convinced that that’s not what Merab Dvalishvili wanted.
The two bantamweights collide in the co-main event of UFC 311 on Saturday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Challenger Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) accused champ Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) of trying to avoid fighting him not only for UFC 311, but on previous occasions.
“He’s nervous – of course he’s nervous,” Nurmagomedov said at Wednesday’s UFC 311 media day. “He’s maybe upset with UFC – they pushed him to fight with me. Even before he was champion, he don’t take this fight. He doesn’t want to fight with me and when he became champion I think he tried to fight with others because others would be easier fights for him.