Coach Javier Mendez believes Umar Nurmagomedov would have finished Sean O’Malley had he been in the same positions as Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
O’Malley put his bantamweight title on the line against Dvalishvili in the main event at UFC 306 at the Las Vegas Sphere on Saturday. For the majority of the fight, Dvalishvili thoroughly dominated O’Malley on the ground to earn a unanimous decision win.
Mendez believes Nurmagomedov is a better submission artist than the newly-crowned champ. According to the American Kickboxing Academy head coach, Nurmagomedov would have likely submitted O’Malley had he taken the Montana native down like Dvalishvili did.
“It would have played out different,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “It wouldn’t have been the same. I’m sure on the ground it would have been bad for O’Malley. But he might have got finished on the ground with Umar. Had Umar been able to take him to the ground, more than likely I think, based on what I saw – If it had been Umar on the ground on him like that, Umar’s more of a submission specialist than Merab is, I feel.”
Immediately after Dvalishvili’s win, UFC commentator Joe Rogan proposed Nurmagomedov as a potential opponent while the camera focused on the Dagestani contender, who was in attendance. However, Dvalishvili stalled the question, refusing to plot his next step while overwhelmed with emotions. “The Machine” has previously dismissed Nurmagomedov’s claim to a title shot as a privilege because of him being Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousin. The Georgian called out Deiveson Figueiredo at the UFC 306 post-fight presser while suggesting Nurmagomedov fight another top-level opponent “like Petr Yan.”
Mendez isn’t bothered about Dvalishvili potentially ducking Nurmagomedov, as he knows the UFC is going to have the final say in whatever happens. Speaking of a potential clash between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov, Mendez believes his undefeated pupil outclasses the champ in all aspects. However, Mendez did acknowledge that Dvalishvili’s proven gas tank is probably the best in the division.
“That fight’s gonna be fought everywhere,” Mendez said. “It’s gonna be fought on the stand-up, it’s gonna be fought on the ground. I believe we’re sharper in the stand-up, I believe we’re sharper on the ground. I believe he has this incredible cardio and that’s a big part that’s on his advantage. I don’t know of anybody in the bantamweight division that I see that’s got that kind of advantage. He’s got incredible cardio. So if you’re gonna go with him and it’s gonna go five rounds, you gotta be prepared to go five hard first rounds. Because that’s what this guy is all about.”
