UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has long admired Umar Nurmagomedov’s relentless work ethic in the gym. He has always praised the dedication his teammate brings day in and day out. But when it comes to pumping gas, Makhachev can’t help but laugh; that’s one skill Umar hasn’t quite mastered. But what exactly had happened? Well, Makhachev at the UFC 311 media day shared a funny incident in which the ‘Young Eagle’ was involved.
Makhachev recalled the incident and said, “One time we were training in San Jose, and like some of the guys say, let’s go to San Francisco. I told them, Hey, no, I don’t want to go to San Francisco because some of the time, there’s traffic more than one hour…They just leave four people, and I called them after two hours. Hey, where are you guys? You reach San Francisco?. They say, No, we reached the hotel where we leave from. I said, What happened? They told me, We go to the gas station and Umar put diesel in our car.” The old video has now been shared by his coach, Javier Mendez, in his Instagram story.
During the video, ‘Young Eagle’ can be seen with his hands tied and trying to explain what exactly had happened to Makhachev. However, the Dagestani fighter was in no mood to listen as he had already decided his punishment. Umar, during the video, can be heard saying, “Islam tied me up.” However, Makhachev was very quick to respond and said, “I’m punishing him. Because he messed up as always.’ Mendez captioned the story as, “When Islam Makhachev tied up Umar Nurmagomedov for putting diesel in the car instead of gas.” Well, despite the odd punishment, the Dagestani team has a special bond between them. They stand together with each other at their highs and lows and push each other to get better.
That same brotherhood was on display again after UFC 311, where Umar Nurmagomedov fell short in his first UFC title shot against bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili. Despite entering as a heavy favorite, the ‘Young Eagle’ couldn’t match Dvalishvili’s merciless pace over five punishing rounds.
Islam Makhachev points out the biggest reason for Umar Nurmagomedov’s loss
Heading into UFC 311, many fans believed it was only a matter of time before Umar Nurmagomedov claimed the bantamweight crown. With the Nurmagomedov name practically synonymous with dominance, few expected anything less. But Merab Dvalishvili had other plans. The Georgian champion pushed relentlessly, and by the final bell, Umar looked visibly drained in the final rounds. The loss surprised many, and ‘Young Eagle’ faced a barrage of criticism after that. It was later revealed that Umar was not perfectly fit, and his hand had already been injured before the fight.
During an interview with Ushatayka, the lightweight champion pointed out what went wrong during the fight. He said, “I don’t think that Umar needs to change a lot of things. Umar needs a full camp. For example, I went to USA 40 days before my fight. But really starts camp two months before that here at home. I was in Kislovodsk in mountains. Went full camp. I had three-step camp, Umar wasn’t with us, and he didn’t know if he will fight. He came to us in USA when he found out he has a title fight.”
Merab Dvalishvili isn’t your average foil. Though ‘The Machine’ isn’t undefeated, his durability and constant motion turned UFC 311 into a war of attrition, one that Umar couldn’t sustain. He further added, “He was already with a hand injury. He trained with a brace. He just didn’t want to miss his title shot, and I think she showed a good fight. Umar lacked championship rounds experience. He doesn’t need to change a lot. He just needs to deserve another chance.”
Makhachev believes Umar shouldn’t overhaul his game. Instead, he needs time, health, and experience. But who could be that second chance against? Someone like Cory Sandhagen for a high-level clash, Petr Yan for a Russian rivalry, or Adrian Yanez for a confidence rebuild could reignite the run. If Umar Nurmagomedov can recover and return with a full camp, don’t be surprised if he returns stronger and scarier. The Dagestani machine is just reloading.
Well, it will be interesting to see whether the UFC gives him a second chance. Who should Umar Nurmagomedov fight next in his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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