Merab Dvalishvili argues that Deiveson Figueiredo is a more worthy No. 1 contender than Umar Nurmagomedov.
Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in the UFC 306 main event Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews.
UFC CEO Dana White said Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will get the next title shot against the winner of O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili following his UFC on ABC 7 main event win over Cory Sandhagen in August, but at least one side of the fight doesn’t see him as deserving.
Dvalishvili makes the case former flyweight champ Figueiredo (24-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) has a superior resume to Nurmagomedov since moving up to 135 pounds.
“Deiveson Figueiredo deserves to fight for the belt,” Dvalishvili told MMA Junkie. “He beat one former champion in this weight class and one title challenger, and he beat Rob Font. And Figueiredo is former champion, and he has big name, and he deserves.
“Umar, he only beat Cory Sandhagen from top 15. Only one guy he beat from top 15 and why he deserve to fight for the belt? I’m not saying – even if I would be champion, he has to fight Sean O’Malley. I don’t think he deserves to fight for the belt, you know. That’s my opinion.”
Since moving up to bantamweight, former flyweight champion Figueiredo has defeated Font, former champion Cody Garbrandt, and most recently former title challenger Marlon Vera.
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov went from finishing unranked Raoni Barcelos to beating Bekzat Almakhan to outlasting Sandhagen in his first octagon headliner.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
