Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov Hopes for February Return, Lightweight Title Shot

Khabib Nurmagomedov does a couple things well.
First, he’s a good fighter. You might say that. A 22-0 record at the age of 25 will earn you that status. So will convincing victories over fellow standouts like Rafael dos Anjos and Gleison Tibau.
Second,…

Khabib Nurmagomedov does a couple things well.

First, he’s a good fighter. You might say that. A 22-0 record at the age of 25 will earn you that status. So will convincing victories over fellow standouts like Rafael dos Anjos and Gleison Tibau.

Second, in a departure from most of his Dagestani Russian brethren, Nurm knows how to sling a soundbite. He proved that again Wednesday in comments that aired on the UFC Tonight program, via Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com.

It’s been a while since fans have heard from the ground-and-pound sensation. The last time his name was at the top of the headline heap, it was for bittersweet reasons.

Minutes after lighting up MMA Twitter with the announcement that Nurmagomedov would face Donald Cerrone in September, the UFC announced that Nurmagomedov had torn his meniscus and would not be able to compete after all.

Nurmagomedov underwent surgery a week later to repair the injury. On Wednesday he reported, via Al-Shatti, that he is looking toward a February return to cage competition. 

He wasn’t shy about calling out some potential opponents, either, like current lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Nurmagomedov said a fight against “Showtime” would be “easy money,” explaining that Pettis had “no good wrestling, no defense.”

“He does not know how to say my name,” Nurmagomedov reportedly said of Pettis, who regularly mispronounces Nurmagomedov‘s name, which is difficult to pronounce. “Next year, he will know how.”

For the record, it’s “nirm-uh-go-MAY-dov.”

 

Nurmagomedov also re-challenged his original opponent, noting that he would like to “smash” Cerrone if given the chance.

The super-prospect added that he personally views himself as the No. 1 contender to the belt, by virtue of his win over dos Anjos, who beat Cerrone in 2013 and just knocked out recent ex-champ Benson Henderson in August. 

Despite that belief, however, it’s hard not to think the next shot would go to the winner between Cerrone and new UFC addition Eddie Alvarez, who fight at UFC 178, the late-September card that originally featured Cerrone vs. Nurmagomedov. If you’re Nurmagomedov, that’s got to sting.

 

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Khabib Nurmagomedov: Who Makes the Most Sense for His Return to Action?

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.
Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging t…

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.

Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging toward the top of the lightweight division.

Even though he’s still months away from returning to the Octagon, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a number of opponents waiting to welcome him back. However, one of the most interesting options isn’t on the UFC’s roster at this time.

That man is current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

Since joining the UFC back in 2012, “The Eagle” has run his undefeated streak to 22 victories. The Russian native has propelled himself to a point where he is one of the premier fighters at 155 pounds, and he’s currently the No. 3-ranked lightweight in the promotion behind Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, per UFC.com.

In order to obtain the title shot that has eluded him to this point, Nurmagomedov should be placed against Alvarez, as it would be a challenging bout for both of them.

Alvarez is still under contract with Bellator, but that did not stop the UFC from attempting to bring him over to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 178, per Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog. That fight would eventually fall apart, as Cerrone is now scheduled to face Bobby Green. However, that doesn’t mean the UFC should end their pursuit of Alvarez.

Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie reported that at the time of Nurmagomedov‘s injury in July he would be out of action for at least six months. During this period the UFC could work on their negotiations with Bellator to reach an agreement to bring over their lightweight champion. The companies would have their work cut out for them, but earlier efforts show that they are willing to negotiate.

Scott Coker recently addressed the situation with Alvarez’s contract with Bellator. “Right now, where it’s at today is Eddie’s still a fighter under contract with Bellator.” Scott Coker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I know that lawyers are involved, and that’s something that happened way before I came to this company. Right now, I don’t have an update for you on that.”

Alvarez would present an interesting challenge for Nurmagomedov if they were to actually meet in the Octagon. To this point, Nurmagomedov has been able to overwhelm his opponents within the UFC with effective grappling.

Alvarez uses an aggressive style of a different nature, where he stays on his opponents, looking to land boxing combinations and use his wrestling when possible. Nurmagomedov has yet to face an opponent in the UFC who uses such a style, so a fight against Alvarez would be a clear change of pace for him.

From a business perspective, this fight makes sense for the organization as well. Alvarez has never shied away from promoting himself or the fights that he’s involved in. He would have the ability to carry much of the needed media work for a fight against Nurmagomedov.

A win for either fighter would create enough credibility for them to be considered a No. 1 contender to fight the winner of the upcoming Anthony Pettis–Gilbert Melendez fight with the title. If the UFC were able to set this match up it would work as a co-main event for a pay-per-view card in 2015.

Khabib Nurmagomedov was very near to earning a shot at the UFC lightweight title before suffering a knee injury last month. As the promotion awaits his return, they can use this time to sign Eddie Alvarez and create the best fight possible to welcome Alvarez to the UFC and Nurmagomedov back from the injured list all at once.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Who Makes the Most Sense for His Return to Action?

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.
Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging t…

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.

Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging toward the top of the lightweight division.

Even though he’s still months away from returning to the Octagon, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a number of opponents waiting to welcome him back. However, one of the most interesting options isn’t on the UFC’s roster at this time.

That man is current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

Since joining the UFC back in 2012, “The Eagle” has run his undefeated streak to 22 victories. The Russian native has propelled himself to a point where he is one of the premier fighters at 155 pounds, and he’s currently the No. 3-ranked lightweight in the promotion behind Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, per UFC.com.

In order to obtain the title shot that has eluded him to this point, Nurmagomedov should be placed against Alvarez, as it would be a challenging bout for both of them.

Alvarez is still under contract with Bellator, but that did not stop the UFC from attempting to bring him over to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 178, per Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog. That fight would eventually fall apart, as Cerrone is now scheduled to face Bobby Green. However, that doesn’t mean the UFC should end their pursuit of Alvarez.

Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie reported that at the time of Nurmagomedov‘s injury in July he would be out of action for at least six months. During this period the UFC could work on their negotiations with Bellator to reach an agreement to bring over their lightweight champion. The companies would have their work cut out for them, but earlier efforts show that they are willing to negotiate.

Scott Coker recently addressed the situation with Alvarez’s contract with Bellator. “Right now, where it’s at today is Eddie’s still a fighter under contract with Bellator.” Scott Coker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I know that lawyers are involved, and that’s something that happened way before I came to this company. Right now, I don’t have an update for you on that.”

Alvarez would present an interesting challenge for Nurmagomedov if they were to actually meet in the Octagon. To this point, Nurmagomedov has been able to overwhelm his opponents within the UFC with effective grappling.

Alvarez uses an aggressive style of a different nature, where he stays on his opponents, looking to land boxing combinations and use his wrestling when possible. Nurmagomedov has yet to face an opponent in the UFC who uses such a style, so a fight against Alvarez would be a clear change of pace for him.

From a business perspective, this fight makes sense for the organization as well. Alvarez has never shied away from promoting himself or the fights that he’s involved in. He would have the ability to carry much of the needed media work for a fight against Nurmagomedov.

A win for either fighter would create enough credibility for them to be considered a No. 1 contender to fight the winner of the upcoming Anthony Pettis–Gilbert Melendez fight with the title. If the UFC were able to set this match up it would work as a co-main event for a pay-per-view card in 2015.

Khabib Nurmagomedov was very near to earning a shot at the UFC lightweight title before suffering a knee injury last month. As the promotion awaits his return, they can use this time to sign Eddie Alvarez and create the best fight possible to welcome Alvarez to the UFC and Nurmagomedov back from the injured list all at once.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov and 4 Injured Fighters Who Will Make Impact Upon Return

Mixed martial arts is one of the most grueling sports in the world. 
At its worst, it forces the best fighters on the planet to train for a potentially unpredictable 25-minute war. Planning against both a fighter and the unknown, competitors …

Mixed martial arts is one of the most grueling sports in the world. 

At its worst, it forces the best fighters on the planet to train for a potentially unpredictable 25-minute war. Planning against both a fighter and the unknown, competitors must push themselves beyond the cusp of comfort in all aspects of the game.

Wrestlers must learn to strike. Strikers must learn to wrestle.

Accomplishing such tough tasks won’t come without peril—injuries plague this sport far too often. However, for every unfortunate injury any fighter faces in their professional career lies a proverbial silver lining.

The comeback. 

Keep reading to see which injured fighters are poised to make immediate impacts upon their return to the cage. Don’t expect Anderson Silva, Anthony Pettis, Dominick Cruz or Cat Zingano to make this list—only fighters who are still on the mend without a scheduled fight on their horizon will be considered. 

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Khabib Nurmagomedov: Alcohol and Women ‘Spoil’ Fighters and Make Them ‘Weak’

UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov has an old-school approach when it comes to fighting: Alcohol and women are a no-no if you want to be the best in the world.
Speaking with Russian media outlet ProSports.ru, (translated by MixedMartial…

UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov has an old-school approach when it comes to fighting: Alcohol and women are a no-no if you want to be the best in the world.

Speaking with Russian media outlet ProSports.ru, (translated by MixedMartialArts.com), “The Eagle” explained why he has sworn off grabbing a drink or having an impromptu date with a female fan on the weekends. 

There are fighters in America who can drink on Friday and Saturday. After an event I saw it myself in the hotel – 80% of them are already drunk. Not the champs but middle-of-the-pack guys, guys like one win, two losses. A couple of times they called me with them to the club. I told them I’m a Muslim. And they were like ‘Come on, we know two Muslims and they visit the clubs with us all the time!’ … Alcohol and girls stand in a way of an athlete, they spoil him and make him weak.

While some may say that the 25-year-old’s point of view is outdated, it’s flat-out impossible to argue with the results. 

Nurmagomedov, the No. 3 lightweight in the world, according to the UFC’s official rankings, is 22-0 as a professional mixed martial artist—including a 6-0 run inside the Octagon. 

Many agree that his recent convincing win over perennial contender Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on FOX 11 in April proved he’s ready for the big time. 

The American Kickboxing Academy standout was briefly linked to what would’ve likely been a title eliminator bout with WEC import Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 178 but had to withdraw almost immediately due to a knee injury, per MMA Fighting. 

His co-manager, Mike Constantino, later confirmed that Nurmagomedov tore his right meniscus and would therefore be on the sidelines for at least six months, per MMA Junkie. 

Up to this point, Nurmagomedov is yet to meet an opponent who has an answer for his takedowns and smothering top game. Plus, his striking chops continue to improve. 

Should other fighters start following Nurmagomedov‘s lead and leave the partying lifestyle behind completely, or is this training theory simply not necessary in this day and age?

 

John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Update: Khabib Nurmagomedov Out Until January 2015 With Torn Meniscus


(Khabib Nurmagomedov and Rustam Khabilov — just a couple of legitimate businessmen. / Photo via TitoCouture.)

We wanted to pass along a quick update on Khabib Nurmagomedov, who made history on Friday by pulling out of a fight against Donald Cerrone just 20 minutes after he agreed to it. (Beat that, Lil’ Nog!) According to Nurmagomedov’s manager Mike Constantino, the undefeated lightweight suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, which will require surgery. He is expected to be out of action until January.

And so, Nurmy officially goes 1-0 in 2014, with his sole Octagon appearance resulting in a decision win against Rafael dos Anjos in April. With the lightweight division so crowded with contenders, a long layoff means that Nurmagomedov will have his work cut out for him when he returns, in terms of climbing back up the contender ladder. As for Cerrone, his next fight is once again TBA. Got any suggestions?


(Khabib Nurmagomedov and Rustam Khabilov — just a couple of legitimate businessmen. / Photo via TitoCouture.)

We wanted to pass along a quick update on Khabib Nurmagomedov, who made history on Friday by pulling out of a fight against Donald Cerrone just 20 minutes after he agreed to it. (Beat that, Lil’ Nog!) According to Nurmagomedov’s manager Mike Constantino, the undefeated lightweight suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, which will require surgery. He is expected to be out of action until January.

And so, Nurmy officially goes 1-0 in 2014, with his sole Octagon appearance resulting in a decision win against Rafael dos Anjos in April. With the lightweight division so crowded with contenders, a long layoff means that Nurmagomedov will have his work cut out for him when he returns, in terms of climbing back up the contender ladder. As for Cerrone, his next fight is once again TBA. Got any suggestions?