The first UFC pay-per-view of the year is fast approaching. UFC 311 is built as a card that should appeal to hardcore fight fans, with fantastic pairings of familiar names from the prelims through the main event.

Dvalishvili will also need to be mindful inside of scrambles given his propensity to expose his back when returning to standing positions. As Nurmagomedov has already shown in the octagon, the Dagestani fighter is incredibly systematic and effective when it comes to breaking down his opponents from rear mount and riding positions.

Umar Nurmagomedov is widely compared to his Hall of Fame cousin. But has the real "next Khabib" been in front of our faces this whole time?

UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili went back to work a little quicker than anybody anticipated, returning from a title win in September to a title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov this Saturday at UFC 311 - and Umar's cousin Khabib believes he knows why.

Henry Cejudo gave Umar Nurmagomedov some insight ahead of UFC 311. Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at Intuit Dome.

Tomorrow night in the co-main event of UFC 311, the bantamweight title is on the line. The two most dominant forces in the bantamweight division will clash as the champion Merab Dvalishvili (18-4) takes on his toughest test in the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0).

After a heated and personal back-and-forth in the pre-fight buildup, the UFC bantamweight champion is eager to send a message to his opponent in the Octagon.

Fans rally behind Umar Nurmagomedov as he shares his UFC 311 strategy, showcasing confidence and determination to secure victory.

😬Khabib thinks the UFC made Merab Dvalishvili accept the fight with Umar Nurmagomedov: “I believe the UFC… pressured [Merab] and made him fight [Umar]… The UFC needed a co-main event fight, that’s my personal opinion.” 🎥 YT Gorilla Fighting ▫️ pic.twitter.com/2nFxkVFD27

Dressed in an all-burgundy suit with a matching vest underneath, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili walked into a hotel ballroom for UFC 311 media day with unusual low energy, and that's probably because he had a lot on his mind.

Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili have very different demeanors heading into their bantamweight title fight at UFC 311. Dvalishvili, the champion, was a ball of rage at December's pre-fight press conference while the challenger stayed cool and composed.