This was reported by the well-known sports columnist Aaron Bronsteter with reference to the managers of the Russian fighter.
“According to representatives of Dominance MMA, Umar Nurmagomedov was offered to fight in the main event on May 13 against Merab Dvalishvili, who refused due to an injury. They added that the UFC now wants to have this fight in July,” the reporter wrote on the social network.
According to Bronsteter, the Georgian fighter’s team confirmed the matchmakers’ attempt to organize a duel, however, at the moment, Dvalishvili, who occupies the first line in the rating, is not only recovering from an injury, but is also waiting for the result of the title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo.
“Merab’s manager, Oren Hodak, had this to say: ‘Merab just had a fight and he fought with an injury. In any case, it’s too early to talk about anything until the title fight takes place on May 6,'” the journalist added.
27-year-old Umar Nurmagomedov is on a four-fight streak in the UFC, knocking out Raoni Barcelos in the last fight in the first round, and 32-year-old Merab Dvalishvili scored his ninth victory in a row two weeks ago, in a dominant style, winning a unanimous decision against the former division champion Peter Jan.