Umar Nurmagomedov Potentially Locks In Key Agreement with Dana White for Next 135-Pound Title Shot

Aside from Tom Aspinall’s long-awaited return to defend his undisputed heavyweight title after 14 months, UFC 321 will also mark the comeback of Umar Nurmagomedov, who returns to action after a 10-month layoff. For those unfamiliar, the 18-1 bantamweight last fought at UFC 311, where he challenged Merab Dvalishvili for the title but fell short. During that bout, Nurmagomedov suffered a broken hand early in the fight, which significantly affected his performance.

Now, the Dagestani is set to face another top-ranked contender in the form of Mario Bautista, as he looks to reestablish himself in the title picture. Despite the setback, ‘Young Eagle’ remains determined to reclaim his spot at the top, even making a special request to Dana White for another shot at gold during the UFC 321 pre-fight press conference.

Dana White Approves Umar Nurmagomedov’s UFC 321 Bout as No. 1 Contender Fight But With One Condition

It appears that the UFC CEO is open to Nurmagomedov’s request, but the Dagestani contender will have to prove he deserves it when he steps into the Octagon at UFC 321. Rumors suggest that Nurmagomedov’s bantamweight clash with Bautista could serve as a potential title eliminator, adding even more stakes to an already high-profile matchup. 

Fully aware of that, Nurmagomedov didn’t hesitate to make his intentions clear during the pre-fight press conference. “I have a question for you, Dana. Can I ask? It’s possible me and Mario is a contender fight?” Nurmagomedov said.

“Could this fight be the contender fight?” White responded. “Go out there and put on a show on Saturday that makes people go, ‘Damn, one of these guys should be fighting for the title next.’”

Umar Asks Dana at Live Press Conference if His Fight is for #1 Contender Spot 😳🔥

Umar asks Dana White if his fight with Mario Bautista is a #1 contender fight. Dana: “Go out there and make people say Damn, one of those guys should fight for the title next.” Umar: “Okay, gonna… pic.twitter.com/OqfIXzRJ4x

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 23, 2025

“Ok, I’m going to do it,” Nurmagomedov replied, prompting White to say, “Deal.” Now, all eyes are on how the bantamweight title picture will unfold. Current champion Merab Dvalishvili is already booked to defend his title against Petr Yan at UFC 323 on December 6, marking what would be his fourth defense of the year. 

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Dvalishvili has already turned back challenges from Cory Sandhagen, Sean O’Malley, and Nurmagomedov himself, earning wins at UFC 320, UFC 316, and UFC 311, respectively. Meanwhile, the Dagestani, who began his UFC career with a six-fight winning streak and an 18-0 record, earned his first title shot after a decision win over Sandhagen. 

However, Dvalishvili outworked him at UFC 311, handing him his first career loss via unanimous decision. Since then, the champion has continued to dominate, while Nurmagomedov has bided his time, determined to climb back into contention. 

January 18, 2025, Inglewood, California, USA: MERAB DVALISHVILI 19-4-0 of Tbilisi, Georgia defeats UMAR NURMAGOMEDOV 18-1-0 of Kizilyurt, Russia by unanimous decision 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 during UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California Inglewood USA – ZUMAo117 20250118_zsp_o117_054 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax

Though he’s eager for another crack at the belt, ‘Young Eagle’ insisted he is ready to face anyone, not just Dvalishvili. However, White didn’t spell out exactly what Nurmagomedov must do to earn another title shot, but putting on a statement performance would surely help. After all, while he finished three of his first four UFC opponents, Nurmagomedov hasn’t scored a stoppage win since January 2023. 

That won’t come easily against Bautista, who rides an eight-fight winning streak and has beaten respected names like Jose Aldo and Patchy Mix on the scorecards. Still, Nurmagomedov remains confident he will deliver when it matters most, whether the fight ends early or goes the distance.