Coach Javier Mendez declares this man Umar Nurmagomedov’s “toughest test” in the bantamweight division

Javier Mendez recently weighed in on the bantamweight division and noted that he only envisions one fighter who could be a tough test for his pupil, Umar Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov has been a fighter to keep an eye on in the stacked 135-pound division, especially considering that he has trained under the tutelage of his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, along with his cousin, Usman and reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. While speaking to The Schmo, the famed AKA coach declared top-ranked bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili as the only test for 'Young Eagle'. He said:

"For me, Umar's [Nurmagomedov] toughest challenge has been Merab [Dvalishvili]. It's been Merab. A hundred percent still is."

Tweet regarding Mendez's comment about Umar Nurmagomedov's toughest challenge at 135 pounds [Image courtesy: @TheSchmo312 - X]

'The Machine' most recently showcased his excellent wrestling as he earned a unanimous decision win over former two-division champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo this past Saturday. He is believed to be next in line for a bantamweight title shot and challenge the winner of next month's title fight between Marlon Vera and champion Sean O'Malley.

A bout between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov would certainly make for an intriguing matchup, so it will be interesting to see whether their paths cross in the future.

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When is Umar Nurmagomedov's next fight?

After his year-long layoff, the UFC has finally found an opponent for Umar Nurmagomedov.

'Young Eagle' was originally scheduled to fight Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Nashville this past August but was forced to withdraw from the event due to a shoulder injury. Since recovering, the unbeaten bantamweight had been seeking an opponent to no avail.

After months of speculation, Nurmagomedov's next bout was announced as he will be fighting Bekzat Almakhan at UFC Fight Night 238 on March 2. Almakhan, 14-1, will be making his promotional debut after a successful tenure with Octagon Promotions.

Tweet regarding Umar Nurmagomedov's next bout [Image courtesy: @sportskeedaMMA - X]