INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Merab Dvalishvili isn't know as 'The Machine' for nothing. The stories of his ability to push train relentlessly, hour after hour, day after day, with few breaks, are legendary in MMA circles.
And he created another legend by pushing a pace that was too much for the previously unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov to handle. Dvalishvili used his relentless, a number takedowns and a few good right hands to swept the last three rounds and retain his UFC bantamweight championship Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome.
Scores were 48-47 twice and 49-46 for Dvalishvili, who'd won the title in September at UFC 306 by defeating Sean O'Malley. Chris Leben and Mike Bell each gave Nurmagomedov the first two rounds and Dvalishvili the last three. Chris Crail only gave Nurmagomedov the second.
Nurmagomedov was bidding to become only the 15th unbeaten UFC champion, but as well as he fought, he didn't have the gas tank to deal with Dvalishvili.
When he was being interviewed in the Octagon by Joe Rogan after his win, Dvalishvili began to reel off a litany of training camp ailments that limited him. Among those he mentioned were an injured leg and a bad back. Rogan, though, cut him off and tried to turn the conversation to the remarkable performance he delivered.
Nurmagomedov said he broke his hand in the first round, and it was certainly swollen.
Photo courtesy of Dominance MMA
Umar Nurmagomedov's injured left hand, which he said he broke in the first round.