Overview

• Merab Dvalishvili said he hopes Mario Bautista defeats Umar Nurmagomedov and indicated he would face Bautista next, calling him the most deserving contender.
• Dvalishvili is slated to defend his bantamweight title against Cory Sandhagen on October 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
• Umar Nurmagomedov returns against Bautista on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, a matchup Dvalishvili views as potentially determining the next title challenger.
• Dvalishvili argued Nurmagomedov benefited from his family connection to Khabib, contrasting that with Bautista’s long streak that includes wins over Patchy Mix and José Aldo.
• Bautista said a victory over Nurmagomedov should earn him a title shot, while Dvalishvili’s stance follows his January win over Nurmagomedov and a June submission of Sean O’Malley.