Undefeated bantamweight prospect Umar Nurmagomedov KO’d UFC veteran Raoni Barcelos in the first round at UFC Vegas 67. Umar Nurmagomedov, the younger cousin of the legendary UFC lightweight Khabib, opened the main card of UFC Vegas 67. He took on Raoni Barcelos, a man who holds massive respect within the hardcore MMA fanbase. The bout […]
Undefeated bantamweight prospect Umar Nurmagomedov KO’d UFC veteran Raoni Barcelos in the first round at UFC Vegas 67.
Umar Nurmagomedov, the younger cousin of the legendary UFC lightweight Khabib, opened the main card of UFC Vegas 67. He took on Raoni Barcelos, a man who holds massive respect within the hardcore MMA fanbase.
The bout would begin a competitive affair. Nurmagomedov was unable to get his wrestling game going, but avoided the power shots of Barcelos for the most part. However, everything changed in the last minute of the first round. After missing a step in knee, Nurmagomedov threw a left hook, competently catching Barcelos off guard.
The Brazilian was out cold before he hit the mat, although Nurmagomedov still followed up with a straight shot to make sure. The young Dagestani then took to the mic to call out the 135lb division, issuing a challenge to the top 15 for March.
Catch highlights from Umar Nurmagomedov’s knockout win over Raoni Barcelos below:
Sean O’Malley recently fired back at Umar Nurmagomedov, who expressed being “ashamed” of O’Malley as the UFC bantamweight champion. Nurmagomedov earned an impressive unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi last weekend, catapulting himself near the top of the division and potentially solidifying his status as […]
Sean O’Malley recently fired back at Umar Nurmagomedov, who expressed being “ashamed” of O’Malley as the UFC bantamweight champion.
Nurmagomedov earned an impressive unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi last weekend, catapulting himself near the top of the division and potentially solidifying his status as the #1 contender.
The undefeated Dagestani’s victory potentially positions him as the ideal challenger for “Sugar,” but this matchup hinges on whether O’Malley successfully defends his title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on September 14.
Nurmagomedov is aiming to challenge O’Malley for the belt, hoping the American remains the champion by then. However, he hasn’t held back his criticism, previously labeling O’Malley as a negative influence on the younger generation.
O’Malley Aims To Beat Nurmagomedov To ‘Sting’ Conor McGregor
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, O’Malley discussed the potential of fighting Nurmagomedov in the future. His coach, Tim Welch, asked “Sugar” if he could knock out the Dagestani. O’Malley admitted that Nurmagomedov would be a challenging opponent but expressed confidence in his ability to succeed, pointing to his knockout of Aljamain Sterling.
“I could chin anybody in the division,” O’Malley said. “Umar is a tough fight. I thought Aljo [Sterling] was the toughest fight in the division for me at the time, and I knocked him out. I think Umar is probably one of the toughest challenges in the division.”
“Sugar” further remarked that a potential bout against Nurmagomedov could become one of the biggest fights in UFC history, and such a high-profile clash would surely drive Conor McGregor wild.
“I think it makes it an interesting match, but O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov could be one way I become, you know, bigger than Conor, like I’ve claimed I’ve wanted to be. If I do what he couldn’t do—beat a Nurmagomedov, take away the ‘O’—that would really sting him. He’s already mad at me, jealous, but this would really sting him.”
“The Notorious” has a storied history with the Nurmagomedov family, highlighted by his intense rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov. This feud culminated in a dramatic showdown at UFC 229 in 2018, where McGregor suffered a fourth-round submission loss.
Defeating a member of the Nurmagomedov family—an achievement that eluded McGregor—could be O’Malley’s way of getting the last laugh at his former idol.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes Umar Nurmagomedov’s latest performance might have made Sean O’Malley breathe a little easier on the bantamweight throne. Nurmagomedov kept his unblemished professional and UFC records intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, where he got the better of Cory Sandhagen in his maiden main […]
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes Umar Nurmagomedov’s latest performance might have made Sean O’Malley breathe a little easier on the bantamweight throne.
Nurmagomedov kept his unblemished professional and UFC records intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, where he got the better of Cory Sandhagen in his maiden main event on MMA’s biggest stage.
The Dagestani utilized his relentless grappling pressure and strong striking to get the better of the ex-interim title challenger and high-ranked contender across five rounds of action inside the Etihad Arena.
The result saw Nurmagomedov rewarded with a sizable climb up the bantamweight pecking order to #2, leaving him behind only upcoming title challenger Merab Dvalishvili in the rankings. With that in mind, the Russian has staked his claim for a shot at the winner of O’Malley’s next defense at the Sphere this fall.
And while Nurmagomedov and some others have suggested the champ will be keen to avoid the undefeated 28-year-old, Cormier isn’t sure that’s the case following his latest display…
Cormier: O’Malley Has Seen Someone ‘Counter’ Nurmagomedov’s Skills
During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier reflected on Nurmagomedov’s sixth Octagon triumph and assessed what it could mean for O’Malley.
“DC” stated that, while unsuccessful in his pursuit of a win, Sandhagen somewhat laid out a blueprint for dealing with Nurmagomedov’s ground game. That, Cormier says, could leave “Sugar” more confident in his chances against the Dagestani.
“If I’m Sean O’Malley and I watched last weekend, Chael, I might feel a little better because now I finally saw someone actually counter these skills of Umar Nurmagomedov in terms of the ground fighting,” Cormier said. “Now, dealing with him on the feet is a whole another issue. But if you can fight on the feet, as Sean O’Malley can, you’d think you have a chance.”
Before potentially adjusting his focus to Nurmagomedov, O’Malley must stall the title hopes of Dvalishvili at UFC 306/Noche UFC at the Sphere on September 14.
UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has given an interesting take on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s MMA leave. Khabib will reportedly leave MMA entirely to focus on his personal life and more specifically, his family. Since leaving the sport as a…
UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has given an interesting take on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s MMA leave. Khabib will reportedly leave MMA entirely to focus on his personal life and more specifically, his family. Since leaving the sport as a fighter in 2020, he’s coached numerous fighters, including Islam Makhachev and his cousin Umar. The latest news…
It was recently revealed that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be taking another step away from his career in MMA. Umar Nurmagomedov, Kahbib’s cousin, offered further details into this recent news. Dagestan’s Umar Nurmagomedov is an undefeated UFC fighter who is coached by Khabib. Khabib vacated his UFC lightweight title and retired a few years ago. Since […]
It was recently revealed that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be taking another step away from his career in MMA. Umar Nurmagomedov, Kahbib’s cousin, offered further details into this recent news.
Dagestan’s Umar Nurmagomedov is an undefeated UFC fighter who is coached by Khabib. Khabib vacated his UFC lightweight title and retired a few years ago. Since then he began coaching more actively and running Eagle FC. But recently, news came out that he will soon be even further away from MMA.
Umar Nurmagomedov discusses Khabib Nurmagomedov
Umar Nurmagomedov is booked against Raoni Barcelos upcoming on January 14 at a UFC Fight Night event. During a press interview, the Dagestani athlete Umar told Aaron Bronster:
“I don’t think [Khabib Nurmagomedov] can stop, he will still control me and my brother, some other guys, but not the same (way), he doesn’t want to travel, doesn’t want to come to camps and stay with us for a couple of months. I’m not surprised, we knew and we talked about this. We talked, he gave me advice on the fight, cut weight. Everything the same he just stopped, too many flights… I think it will be the same, we will be training together in Dagestan. Nothing changes we (are) brothers.”
From the sounds of it, Khabib Nurmagomedov will remain active in the gym with his fellow fighters but is reducing the amount he is traveling to spend more time with family. Umar continued:
“He will not travel too much and will take care of himself, his family, his mother. This is very hard, traveling too much, cornering everybody, this is not easy. That is why he made the decision and I’m happy for him… I don’t think he can stop, he will still control me and my brother, some other guys, but not the same (way), he doesn’t want to travel, doesn’t want to come to camps and stay with us for a couple of months.” [Transcript courtesy of BJ Penn]
Umar Nurmagomedov on Khabib's decision to step back from coaching: "I don't think he can stop, he will still control me and my brother, some other guys, but not the same (way), he doesn't want to travel, doesn't want to come to camps and stay with us for a couple of months." pic.twitter.com/smEYjIU9YV
Georges St-Pierre’s renowned head coach, Firas Zahabi, recently weighed in on Cory Sandhagen’s performance, suggesting that his lack of elite wrestling skills was a significant factor in his defeat against Umar Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen faced a challenging defeat by a unanimous decision to Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi last Saturday […]
Georges St-Pierre’s renowned head coach, Firas Zahabi, recently weighed in on Cory Sandhagen’s performance, suggesting that his lack of elite wrestling skills was a significant factor in his defeat against Umar Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov controlled the fight’s tempo almost entirely, showcasing his trademark mix of rapid, diverse striking and dynamic wrestling. He skillfully maneuvered into dominant positions, contorting “The Sandman” at multiple points throughout the contest. Despite Sandhagen’s impeccable defensive acumen and his ability to escape from tight spots, he couldn’t launch a sustained offense to disrupt the relentless Dagestani.
As the fight wore on, Nurmagomedov steadily widened his lead. Though Sandhagen valiantly attempted to rally, his efforts fell short against the relentless onslaught of his opponent. Nurmagomedov maintained his aggressive pace, and finally, all three judges unanimously scored the bout in his favor.
Zahabi Believes Sandhagen Could Have Dodged Early Takedown Against Nurmagomedov
During a recent video on Tristar Gym’s YouTube channel, Zahabi dissected the Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov bout. When a fan questioned whether Sandhagen is “too kind in nature to be elite” against opponents with strong wrestling backgrounds, the esteemed MMA coach shot down the notion. Rather, he zeroed in on the issues faced by the American being technical instead of mental, noting that “The Sandman” appeared taken aback by Nurmagomedov’s early takedowns, which significantly impacted his performance.
“I really think what screwed him up, what really turned his game plan upside down was he got taken down so early,” Zahabi said. “He got his back exposed even though he got out of it quickly, it’s like ‘wow, that guy shoots really fast; I wasn’t ready for that.’ It seemed like he was a little bit shocked, and then he got taken down again. Yes, but there were two takedowns I think he gave for free when he kicked the leg. I would have told him don’t kick the leg; it’s not a good idea. And those two takedowns, I think, just added to the dominance of Umar. They could have been easily avoided.”
Zahabi further suggested that Sandhagen could have benefited from attempting more takedowns himself, which might have thrown his opponent off balance.”
“Honestly, I think if you threaten people with your takedowns and you threaten them with striking, you’re kind of creating a dilemma. The guy knows, ‘Hey, I can get taken down; I lose this entire round.’ He’s got to divide his attention. He’s got to be on the lookout for that takedown.”
Prior to this setback, Sandhagen was riding high on a three-fight winning streak, which included impressive victories over former bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera and Song Yadong.
The American had previously vied for the interim title at UFC 267 in October 2021, where he fought valiantly but ultimately fell short in a grueling five-round battle against Petr Yan.
@UNmgdv vs @BarcelosRaoni keeps the #UFCVegas67 action moving!
It was recently revealed that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be taking another step away from his career in MMA. Umar Nurmagomedov, Kahbib’s cousin, offered further details into this recent news. Dagestan’s Umar Nurmagomedov is an undefeated UFC fighter who is coached by Khabib. Khabib vacated his UFC lightweight title and retired a few years ago. Since […]