ABU DHABI – Javier Mendez looks forward to game planning for an even more improved Merab Dvalishvili if Umar Nurmagomedov can rebound.
Nurmagomedov (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) fell short in his title fight against bantamweight champion Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) at UFC 311 in January. After he revealed he broke his hand early in a fight where he won the first two rounds on two of the three judges’ scorecards.
During Wednesday’s UFC on ABC 9 media day, Petr Yan said Nurmagomedov turned down a fight for the UFC on ABC 8 headliner in Baku, Azerbaijan this past June. Mendez addressed that claim, and gave an update on Nurmagomedov, who’s manager Ali Abdelaziz teased has fight news soon.
“I was told about that potential matchup, we didn’t care who Umar was going to fight,” Mendez told MMA Junkie. “We just know we needed a tough guy for us to potentially be back in the picture, but his hand wasn’t healed enough to be cleared to go that early. So, we’re expecting Umar to be fighting very soon and before the end of the year. I’m preparing to go to camp at the end of this month with Usman (Nurmagomedov).
“Usman is defending his title at Coca Cola Arena here against an opponent to be named. I don’t know who it is, but I’m sure it’s going to be somebody really good. … Within that training camp, it’ll be Umar and Islam (Makhachev), and all the other guys will be in there too. I’ll be with all the boys starting August, I’ll be in Dagestan in Khabib (Nurmagomedov)’s new gym up in the mountains.”
Mendez has been super impressed with the improvement shown by Dvalishvili, who notched his second title defense when he submitted Sean O’Malley at UFC 316.
“It was a great fight, it was super, super close,” Mendez said on Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov. “Unfortunately, things didn’t end up going our way, and Merab did a fantastic job. Since then, Merab has gone on to do an unbelievable job. He’s gotten better, and I love that.
“I love that he’s gotten better because if we get another opportunity, we got to get by whoever they give us next. But if we get another opportunity at Merab, I want a better Merab. I don’t want an old Merab, I want a better Merab, and that’s what we’re getting. We’re getting a better Merab. Last fight was so, so impressive. I’m looking forward to that challenge if we can get by our next opponent.”
Mendez broke down what he tactically thinks Nurmagomedov did wrong in his first-career defeat to Dvalishvili.
“A big mistake was not telling Khabib and I that he broke his hand because we would have changed the game plan completely,” Mendez said. “I keep going back thinking, and I go, God dammit, why didn’t I ask him, ‘Why did you go in for the takedown?’ Because Merab was super strong. Why would you try to go for a takedown when that was not a good idea?
“He wasn’t in a weak position, but he went in to shoot for a takedown. It hit me. Why – and I still to this day haven’t spoken to Umar – was it that when you broke your hand? I’m not sure. The hand broke, but it is what it is. Fighters break hands, they break toes, and they fight and they win.”
