Do you actually believe Umar will not become BW champ at some point?

[skylolow]

Without a doubt.

Rematch should be great.

 

[HNIC215]

Merab was not 100 percent for this fight -- he could barely kick during the fight because the wound wasn't closing properly. His conditioning wasn't peak either because he was on antibiotics all camp. Just because Merab won while compromised, doesn't mean he had no issue with his condition in the fight.

I agree... no fighter is 100% going into any fight.

Again though, nagging injuries is something most fighters face when going into a fight. Merab is not exclusive in this.

But actually breaking your bone/hand mid-fight and then continueing to go on to win is impossibly difficult.

So I look forward to this rematch. Hopefully Umar can get a rematch before Merab retires.

 

[Brigfa2]

Congratulations, you defeated Mosaev and HuskySamoan to become the biggest Dagestani fangirl of the Sherdog

 

[sjon22]

Pretty obvious he is the 2rd best in the division currently. We will see how he comes back from the loss he could swing either way.

 

[ocfightfan]

I can't predict the future but it's not like title shots grow on trees so losing in one is a big deal. Maybe it was just bad luck and Merab will age out anyway, or maybe Umar gets merced in his next fight. You just never know. You gotta get the job done when the opportunity is there.

 

[Edward Henry Berg]

18-1
Close match against a freak of nature and broke his hand in the first round, but took no real damage. Did better against Merab than anyone esle during his run.
Umar is not thirty yet has yet to hit his prime.

No one takes any damage when they face Merab.

 

[moosaev]

Probably becomes a champ at some point but I'm not confident he would beat Yan who is only 23 months older than him.

Yan got screwed more times than just about anyone, he is an elite fighter still.

Yan is only 23 months older but has way more mileage. In any case, Yan’s pace is not the same as it once was, I think Umar comfortably outpoints him.

 

[chardog]

umar vs colored hair guy, book it

 

[Meathead Jock]

Yan is only 23 months older but has way more mileage. In any case, Yan’s pace is not the same as it once was, I think Umar comfortably outpoints him.

Yea he could easily beat Yan. I just wouldn't be shocked if they fought and he didn't. Yan has crisper boxing and wouldn't have to worry about the takedowns a lot. Umar has more diverse striking and probably better ground game, but I'm not convinced the fight ever really sees the ground.

 

[L0ki]

It was a very close fight.

I didn't know he broke his hand early.

If he wins over a top contender or 2, Umar should get another shot at running it back.

 

[moosaev]

Yea he could easily beat Yan. I just wouldn't be shocked if they fought and he didn't. Yan has crisper boxing and wouldn't have to worry about the takedowns a lot. Umar has more diverse striking and probably better ground game, but I'm not convinced the fight ever really sees the ground.

I’m saying Umar doesn’t need to take it to the ground to beat Yan. He has better distance control, is the faster and more athletic striker. Yan does his best work in boxing range but Umar won’t allow him to get that close, and Yan doesn’t have the freakish Merab cardio to keep the pace on him and tire Umar out. I don’t think it’s a particularly good matchup for Yan.

 

[fortheo]

I agree... no fighter is 100% going into any fight.

Again though, nagging injuries is something most fighters face when going into a fight. Merab is not exclusive in this.

But actually breaking your bone/hand mid-fight and then continueing to go on to win is impossibly difficult.

So I look forward to this rematch. Hopefully Umar can get a rematch before Merab retires.

Yeah, and umar isn't exclusive to getting injured in a fight lol, and no, getting injured in a fight and then winning is not "impossibly difficult" -- We've literally seen it happen numerous times.

But it's fine, you want to find some solace in this for Umar whatever reason. It's all good.

 

[moosaev]

Yeah, and umar isn't exclusive to getting injured in a fight lol, and no, getting injured in a fight and then winning is not "impossibly difficult" -- We've literally seen it happen numerous times.

But it's fine, you want to find some solace in this for Umar whatever reason. It's all good.

Injuries happen and it doesn’t take away from the result, that’s true, but Umar breaking his hand early in the fight makes for an even stronger case for a rematch. The fight was much closer than Merab’s fights against Cejudo, Yan or O’Malley and there’s good reason to think a rematch (with diff circumstances) could produce a diff outcome. O’Malley and Yan on the other hand, it’s hard to see a scenario where those results are different.

 

[Last Falconry]

Thats exactly what i believe, yes

 

[HNIC215]

Yeah, and umar isn't exclusive to getting injured in a fight lol, and no, getting injured in a fight and then winning is not "impossibly difficult" -- We've literally seen it happen numerous times.

But it's fine, you want to find some solace in this for Umar whatever reason. It's all good.

Broken hand hurts, if you broke your hand you wouldn’t be typing on your keyboard let alone fighting and grappling a champion for a belt.

How many fighters broke their hand and went on to win? I’d love to learn this stat.

Recovering from an injury weeks out isn’t the same as breaking bones during a fight.

He fought 4 rounds with his hand broken. That 100% impacts his performance.


Also, I’m not “trying to find solace”. I’m not that invested in any of these fighters lol

It’s a fight, he got injured and lost. I don’t think Umar won or was robbed. He lost - point blank period.

I do, however, think if they were both 100% - Umar walks away with a decision. That is my opinion.

 

[Grrrr]

He may become champ eventually…..but after calling Merab a duck, and then facing him while he had staph during camp and losing……that’s pretty humorous to me.

 

[moosaev]

He may become champ eventually…..but after calling Merab a duck, and then facing him while he had staph during camp and losing……that’s pretty humorous to me.

Merab was definitely attempting to duck Umar, the fact that he beat Umar doesn’t mean he wanted that fight.

 

[Grrrr]

Merab was definitely attempting to duck Umar, the fact that he beat Umar doesn’t mean he wanted that fight.

I don’t see it that way. But I get how some might. To me it seemed like Merab thinks he had to go through the gauntlet to get his shot….while Umar didn’t.

And wanting it or not…if you call someone a duck and then they end up fighting you and beating you…it’s funny to me.

 

[moosaev]

I don’t see it that way. But I get how some might. To me it seemed like Merab thinks he had to go through the gauntlet to get his shot….while Umar didn’t.

And wanting it or not…if you call someone a duck and then they end up fighting you and beating you…it’s funny to me.

The whole line around Umar not "deserving" a TS was simply a convenient justification to avoid fighting him imo. Merab was calling for the O'Malley rematch, do you really think Merab believes that O'Malley deserved a rematch? Merab felt that he was entitled to a couple of easy defenses, so he didn't want to fight Umar. It's as simple as that.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

He didn't dominate Corey, it was a 48-47 fight even if one of the blind judges gave Umar 50-45.
That judges score was probably the reason Umar came into this fight against Merab a laughable overdog.

Umar might have his time and shot or he might retire early before ever touching gold, who knows.

The whole line around Umar not "deserving" a TS was simply a convenient justification to avoid fighting him imo. Merab was calling for the O'Malley rematch, do you really think Merab believes that O'Malley deserved a rematch? Merab felt that he was entitled to a couple of easy defenses, so he didn't want to fight Umar. It's as simple as that.

Merab doesn't look like the type to actually duck anyone.

He had a point, he had to beat multiple former champions before getting his title shot, while Umar got one for having the last name Nurmagomedov and winning a mostly uneventful decision against Corey.

He emoted on Umar multiple times, he taunted Khabib while umar was attempting a TD with his hands up laughing lol. Not really the behaviour of someone that was scared of someone enough to duck.

Recovering from an injury weeks out isn’t the same as breaking bones during a fight.

He's such an amazing talented striker that he broke his fist instantly in a championship fight, sounds like an Umar problem.