Tag: Umar Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov shares sparring footage that resulted in injury and withdrawal from UFC Nashville

NurmagomedovUmar Nurmagomedov offered some insight into the injury that forced him out of his main event showdown with Cory Sandhagen. Riding an incredible 16-0 undefeated streak, Nurmagomedov is on the cusp of title contention in the bantamweight division. The UFC Nashville headliner could have thrust Nurmagomedov into the division’s top five, but after suffering an […]

Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov offered some insight into the injury that forced him out of his main event showdown with Cory Sandhagen.

Riding an incredible 16-0 undefeated streak, Nurmagomedov is on the cusp of title contention in the bantamweight division. The UFC Nashville headliner could have thrust Nurmagomedov into the division’s top five, but after suffering an unfortunate injury whilst sparring, he is now out of the bout. As the promotion scrambles to find a suitable replacement, Nurmagomedov offers an inside look at what caused the injury that took him out of next month’s main event.

In the footage initially shared on Nurmagomedov’s Instagram, the 27-year-old contender appears to throw a right jab before staggering back with his shoulder in a clearly compromised position.

The UFC Could Have a Tough Time Replacing Umar Nurmagomedov

Despite the bantamweight division being one of the most talent-loaded weight classes in the UFC, the promotion will likely struggle to find a replacement with many of the top dogs at 135 already being booked. No. 13 ranked contender Adrian Yanez offered up his services while others have suggested that Deiveson Figueiredo could step in and take the fight on three weeks’ notice, though the ex-flyweight champ is already booked for a bantamweight debut against former 135-pound king Dominick Cruz in September.

It was a rough couple of days for Dagestani fighters and the promotion’s return to Nashville as Said Nurmagomedov also withdrew from his previously scheduled bout with Kyler Phillips at the event.

Fighting out of Chelyabinsk, Russia, Umar Numragomedov stormed into the UFC, scoring back-to-back rear-naked choke submissions against Sergey Morozov and Brian Kelleher. He followed that up with a unanimous decision win over Nate Maness and a first-round knockout of Raoni Barcelos in his last appearance.

It is unclear how long he expects to be sidelined with his shoulder injury.

Cory Sandhagen not intimidated by the ‘superhuman’ Dagestani grappling of Umar Nurmagomedov

SandhagenCory Sandhagen isn’t concerned with the fabled Dagestani grappling skills of his next Octagon opponent. ‘The Sandman’ will look to continue his march toward the top of the bantamweight top ten as he meets undefeated submission machine Umar Nurmagomedov on August 5. Coming off impressive back-to-back wins against Song Yadong and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, Cory […]

Sandhagen

Cory Sandhagen isn’t concerned with the fabled Dagestani grappling skills of his next Octagon opponent.

‘The Sandman’ will look to continue his march toward the top of the bantamweight top ten as he meets undefeated submission machine Umar Nurmagomedov on August 5. Coming off impressive back-to-back wins against Song Yadong and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, Cory Sandhagen will look to stop the hype train Nurmagomedov has been riding since making his promotional debut in 2021.

Of course, that will be much easier said than done as Nurmagomedov makes his fifth walk to the Octagon with a perfect 16-0 record, including seven wins by way of submission. As is the case with every man that shares his famous last name, Umar Nurmagomedov plans to put his world-class grappling skills on display en route to a debut in the division’s top five. However, Nurmagomedov’s name and ground game won’t intimidate ‘The Sandman’ who is more than confident in his own skills on the mat.

“Everyone still thinks I suck at wrestling, even though, when you think about it, I can’t really think of a time outside of the (Aljamain) Sterling fight where I was on my back for longer than maybe five or 10 seconds,” Sandhagen told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. “The time where I think I was on my back for the longest was against (TJ) Dillashaw, and I ripped his knee in half. So everyone still thinks my grappling isn’t that good.

“The Dagestanis kind of have this aura of being these superhuman people still, and that’s like, not true,” Sandhagen continued. “They’re just doing different things that people haven’t picked up on yet. I have a really good and smart team of coaches to help me navigate that, and then I also have a decent amount of training partners from that type of world that can also help me get really good at it too” (h/t MMA News).

Cory Sandhagen is 4-2 in his last six outings, coming up short against former bantamweight world champions Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw. With a win over Umar Nurmagomedov, ‘The Sandman’ could stake his claim for a 135-pound title opportunity once reigning champion Aljamain Sterling settles some business with No. 2 ranked contender Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 in August.

Currently sitting in the No. 11 spot on the rankings, a win over Cory Sandhagen would likely thrust Nurmagomedov into the top five and potentially place him in pole position for his first UFC title shot.

Cory Sandhagen reveals hysterical reason for accepting UFC Nashville fight with Umar Nurmagomedov

Cory Sandhagen reveals funny reason Umar Nurmagomedov fight I'm a beast b*tchFormer interim bantamweight title challenger, Cory Sandhagen has revealed a hilarious reason for accepting a fight with the undefeated, Umar Nurmagomedov – atop an upcoming UFC Fight Night Nashville card in August.  Sandhagen, the current #4 ranked division contender, is slated to headline his second consecutive event of this year, having most recently taken main […]

Cory Sandhagen reveals funny reason Umar Nurmagomedov fight I'm a beast b*tch

Former interim bantamweight title challenger, Cory Sandhagen has revealed a hilarious reason for accepting a fight with the undefeated, Umar Nurmagomedov – atop an upcoming UFC Fight Night Nashville card in August. 

Sandhagen, the current #4 ranked division contender, is slated to headline his second consecutive event of this year, having most recently taken main event status at UFC Fight Night San Antonio back in March – defeating Ecuadorian fan-favorite, Marlon Vera in a split decision win.

The victory came as the Elevation Fight Team staple’s second successively to boot, having previously stopped Song Yadong with an eventual fourth round doctor’s stoppage in a headliner at the UFC Apex facility last year.

Cory Sandhagen reveals reasoning for accepting Umar Nurmagomedov fight

And now slated to return against the undefeated, Nurmagomedov, who has so far found opponents hard to come by during his five-fight Octagon tenure, Sandhagen, who puts his status as a top contender on the line against the Russian in Tennessee this summer, gave a rib-tickling reason for taking the bout.

“Hey, I know you guys saw the announcement,” Cory Sandhagen said in a video posted on his official social media. “I’m fighting August 5. against Umar Nurmagomedov. I’m getting a lot of haters, saying, ‘Why would you fight this far down in the rankings?’ He’s going to beat my ass, blah, blah, blah. Two reasons; one, Umar is a great fighter, and I’m not trying to be world champion if I’m not the actual best in the entire world. So fighting Umar is a great challenge and I accept it.”

“And number one;” Cory Sandhagen continued. “Because I’m a beast, b*tch. That’s why. Peace, I’ll see you guys in Nashville.” 

Fighting for a potential slot in the top-5 of the bantamweight ranks, Nurmagomedov, the cousin of former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov – has landed a stunning 16-0 professional record throughout his career.

Most recently featuring back in January of this year in ‘Sin City’, Nurmagomedov stopped the highly-touted Brazilian veteran, Raoni Barcelos with a blistering body kick KO win. 

Javier Mendez calls for UFC alum Khabib Nurmagomedov to return to fighters’ corners: ‘It’s such a huge motivator’

NurmagomedovAmerican Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez clarified details surrounding Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement from coaching, suggesting that ‘The Eagle’ never actually said he was walking away from the sport altogether. After going 29-0, capturing the UFC lightweight world championship along the way, Nurmagomedov retired from the sport in 2020 following a title defense against perennial contender […]

Nurmagomedov

American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez clarified details surrounding Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement from coaching, suggesting that ‘The Eagle’ never actually said he was walking away from the sport altogether.

After going 29-0, capturing the UFC lightweight world championship along the way, Nurmagomedov retired from the sport in 2020 following a title defense against perennial contender Justin Gaethje. Since then, ‘The Eagle’ has continued to be a constant presence at events while cornering fighters, including reigning 155-pound titleholder Islam Makhachev. However, fans were thrown another curveball when Nurmagomedov seemingly announced his retirement from coaching and was noticeably absent during Makhachev’s UFC 284 superfight with featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.

As it turns out, Nurmagomedov may not actually be done coaching. Sure, the likelihood of seeing him Octagon-side on Fight Night is slim, but according to Javier Mendez, ‘The Eagle’ still makes an appearance inside the gym from time to time.

“One thing people don’t understand is he never said he wouldn’t coach people,” Mendez told The Schmo. “He said he’s not gonna be in the corner and travel to fight camps because he’s spending time with his family. He never said he wouldn’t come and visit here and there, and train the guys. He never said none of that. He’s still holding to everything he’s ever said (h/t MMA News).

Javier Mendez also confirmed that ‘The Eagle’ has been back in the gym, helping his cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov prepare for a UFC Fight Night clash with Elizeu Zaleski on June 3. With both Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov expected to return later this year, Mendez is hoping that the UFC Hall of Famer will make his way back to the gym and take some of the load off his shoulders.

“He never said never either, so I’m hoping at some point he can come back and help me because him being in the corner is such a huge motivator for the guys and me,” Mendez explained. “Then my job’s easier. I don’t have to worry about hardly anything. I just sit in the backseat and let him drive because he’s a hell of a driver.”

Javier Mendez Believes He Has Another Future World Champon on His Hands with Umar Nurmagomedov

Javier Mendez could be very busy in the near future as he has yet another potential future world champion on his hands with Umar Nurmagomedov. The 16-0 standout is on the cusp of becoming a legitimate contender in the bantamweight division. Speaking on the trajectory ‘Young Eagle’ is on, Mendez suggested it’s just a matter of time before he is facing top-five opponents en route to becoming a UFC world champion.

“Soon to be (champion), we’ve got ‘Young Eagle,’ which is Umar, Khabib’s cousin… He’s gonna be the bantamweight champ,” Mendez said. “Anybody in the top five is the right opponent (for him)… The likelihood of beating him is not in their favor. I don’t see anybody beating him in the bantamweight division.

“We’re training for a fight, we’re just waiting for a fight date… ‘Young Eagle’ Umar will be champ beginning of next year. New UFC bantamweight champion, I’m predicting it,” Mendez continued. “We get a top-five guy in his next fight, and I know he’s gonna beat him. Then the title shot is next. I really believe in my heart that the UFC will do that.”

Merab Dvalishvili turns down May 13. headliner against Umar Nurmagomedov, awaiting result of UFC 288 title fight

Merab DvalishviliFresh off his win over Petr Yan earlier this month, Merab Dvalishvili was reportedly offered a May 13 main event slot against undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. Per a report from Aaron Bronsteter, a representative with Dominance MMA confirmed that Dvalishvili would not accept the offer, citing an injury. Merab Dvalishvili’s manager Oren Hodak confirmed with Bronsteter […]

Merab Dvalishvili

Fresh off his win over Petr Yan earlier this month, Merab Dvalishvili was reportedly offered a May 13 main event slot against undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.

Per a report from Aaron Bronsteter, a representative with Dominance MMA confirmed that Dvalishvili would not accept the offer, citing an injury. Merab Dvalishvili’s manager Oren Hodak confirmed with Bronsteter that ‘The Machine’ is currently dealing with an injury, but also revealed that his fighter has no interest in committing to anything until May’s bantamweight title fight between reigning champion Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo is in the books.

“Merab just fought and he fought injured. Nothing to talk about until the May 6 (bantamweight) title fight happens anyhow,” Hodak said according to a Tweet from Bronsteter.

‘The Machine’ climbed to the No. 1 spot in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings following his 25-minute destruction of former 135-pound champion Petr Yan. Apparently, the promotion felt that an adequate reward for his performance against the former titleholder was a main event slot against a fighter still sitting outside of the top ten. Instead, Dvalishvili has his sights set on a bantamweight clash with top contender Cory Sandhagen.

“Merab is interested in tasting that Sandhagen sandwich that was on the menu and comes at a much more high profile extra value meal compared to a guy not even in the top 10,” Hodak reportedly added.

Cory Sandhagen is fresh off a split decision victory over Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC San Antonio on Saturday night.

Merab Dvalishvili’s Reluctance to Fight Aljamain Sterling Will Make Him Nothing More Than a Stepping Stone For Other Fighters

With an undefeated record of 16-0, Umar Nurmagomedov is considered by many to be the future of the UFC’s bantamweight division. It appears as though the promotion was attempting to fast-track his status as a title contender at the expense of Merab Dvalishvili by offering ‘The Machine’ a May matchup with the Dagestani standout. That decision was likely influenced by the fact that Dvalishvili has said on more than one occasion that he will never fight his best friend and teammate Aljamain Sterling, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion.

It now appears that Merab Dvalishvili will instead sit back and wait to see what happens at UFC 288 when Sterling puts his title on the line against Henry Cejudo. If ‘Funk Master’ manages to escape the Prudential Center with his title intact, Dvalishvili will be left in limbo and likely used as nothing more than a stepping stone for other fighters given his reluctance to fight the champ.

The best-case scenario for ‘The Machine’ is to see Henry Cejudo reclaim the bantamweight title on May 6. Even then, he could be potentially passed up for a title opportunity in favor of the more marketable Sean O’Malley.

Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’

Following his bantamweight title win in the main event of UFC 306, the promotion was clearly looking to set Merab Dvalishvili up for his first title defense. Joe Rogan asked the new champion what he thought about the match-up with Umar Nurmagomedov, which is likely next for him. Despite the broadcast capturing Nurmagomedov’s reaction live […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’ at MMA News.

Following his bantamweight title win in the main event of UFC 306, the promotion was clearly looking to set Merab Dvalishvili up for his first title defense.

Joe Rogan asked the new champion what he thought about the match-up with Umar Nurmagomedov, which is likely next for him.

Despite the broadcast capturing Nurmagomedov’s reaction live from the Sphere, Dvalishvili didn’t answer the question that had been posed to him.

He instead spoke about having a conversation with Dana White first and later, in his post-fight press conference, stated once again that in his opinion, Deiveson Figueiredo is more deserving of the next title shot.

Kamaru Usman Advises Merab Dvalishvili To Face Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge Head-On

In an interview with Dvalishvili on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Kamaru Usman had offered some words of advice to the title challenger before UFC 306 got underway.

The former welterweight champion said that the Georgian fighter should look to capitalize on his time as champion by securing the biggest fights possible, meaning that he should welcome a fight with Nurmagomedov rather than pointing to alternatives.

During his post-event recap alongside Henry Cejudo, Usman once again stressed why he thinks that Dvalishvili should be pushing for this fight.

Having already made the case that it’s the biggest fight out there for him right now, Usman also believes that this kind of challenge could elevate the new champion.

Every great fighter needs great rivals to push themselves further than before and “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes that Nurmagomedov offers that.

He referenced his own welterweight title reign and how his two tough fights against Colby Covington were highly significant moments in his career that helped take him to another level in terms of popularity and influence within the organisation.

“Merab is not afraid but I know he’s worried about a guy like Umar and sometimes those are the guys that really put you on that next level. Merab might come out there and look like freaking the best we’ve ever seen. So you, and I needed that dance partner. Colby Covington gave me that and so that’s what Merab, at this point, I think if I had any advice for Merab, it’s too embrace that. It’s too embrace that. You’re right, when they did ask him that question, he kinda danced around it.”

Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals What He Said To Enrage Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’ at MMA News.