- George Chung
- Aug 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Umar Nurmagomedov stands just one victory away from a coveted shot at the UFC bantamweight championship. The undefeated Russian contender is poised to seize his big moment and make a statement to the entire MMA world.
Nurmagomedov's talent is far from hidden. His performances in the UFC have spoken volumes, with a perfect 17-0 record and five consecutive wins since joining the organization. His dominance has consistently caught the attention of the division's elite, and now he’s ready for the ultimate test.
This weekend, Nurmagomedov faces fellow contender Cory Sandhagen in a five-round main event at UFC Abu Dhabi. The clash at the Etihad Arena promises to be the biggest fight of his career, and Nurmagomedov is brimming with confidence.
“I feel very, very good. I’m feeling excited, and I’m happy for this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a very important fight for me, and I have prepared for this fight all my life.”
Nurmagomedov's UFC journey has been nothing short of spectacular. He has claimed submission victories over Sergey Morozov and Brian Kelleher, a knockout win against Raoni Barcelos, and decision wins against Nate Maness and Bekzat Almakhan. His impressive record has him ranked 10th in the official UFC bantamweight rankings, and a win against the No. 2-ranked Sandhagen could catapult him to the top contender spot.
“Cory’s a high level, technical fighter,” Nurmagomedov acknowledged. “He has a good IQ. He’s a good striker, I think he’s one of the best in this division. But I’m ready. If it is a long night, I’m ready, but I will try to finish. I will try to get a submission.”
Known for his relentless approach and incredible cardio, Nurmagomedov remains tight-lipped about the secret to his endurance. “It’s secret! I don’t have any juice, it’s just a secret! I just want to fight and show this, but I don’t want to talk about my cardio, it’s secret!”
A victory for Nurmagomedov would likely earn him a title shot, and he had a message for current bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who doubted his abilities compared to Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov reminded O’Malley of his past incorrect predictions and dismissed his opinions on MMA.
He also addressed potential future matchups with O’Malley or Merab Dvalishvili, expressing confidence in his ability to defeat either. “I don’t care about who’s gonna win,” he said. “I just want to win this fight and I get the opportunity to beat one of them. It’s two victims of TikTok, and I think they deserve to fight each other. I don’t think they are hard fights for me. I think I can find keys to beat both of them.”
Don't miss UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov, live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024. Prelims start at 12pm ET/9am PT, with the main card live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 3pm ET/12pm PT.
