Umar Nurmagomedov, after his first career loss to bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311, vowed on social media to become a champion despite breaking his hand during the fight and expressed determination to rebound from the defeat.
Umar Nurmagomedov’s gaze is fixed on another shot at the championship. Despite his previous unbeaten streak, he faced a tough loss in Saturday’s UFC 311 co-main event. The bantamweight champ, Merab Dvalishvili, claimed victory by unanimous decision after a grueling five-round battle. Nurmagomedov had his moments, sure, but Dvalishvili’s stamina? Unmatched. It was his first title defense and Nurmagomedov’s first taste of defeat.
After the fight, Nurmagomedov took to social media with no excuses. He promised his fans he’d “become the champion” someday. His words, translated from Russian on Instagram, showed determination: “InshaAllah, I will become the champion.” Praise Allah in any situation; the rest? Meh, not important.
He also mentioned that he didn’t feel like he’d lost this battle—despite what the world might say. Injuries? Just bumps in the road. He planned to heal and get back on track. During his post-fight chat with Joe Rogan, he revealed he’d broken his left hand in round one. Ouch! Still believed he’d done enough to win. His team even shared a photo of his injured hand to prove it.
Nurmagomedov said he’d re-watch the fight later. Did he actually do it before posting online? Who knows! Regardless of their perspective, the official record shows a win for Dvalishvili. With a 6-1 record now, Nurmagomedov heads into his next training camp ready to learn from this loss and bounce back stronger than ever.