Usman Nurmagomedov, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion, has had the privilege of training under two of the most iconic names in MMA coaching: his late uncle, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov. While Abdulmanap set the benchmark to achieve his dreams, Khabib has been able to sustain his plans by taking over. But Usman claims his uncle had some qualities that Khabib simply doesn’t possess.
While both share a deep knowledge of MMA and a passion for pushing fighters to their limits, Usman claims Khabib’s style brings a modern and aggressive touch to the table, reflecting his own experiences as a fighter.
“I know, Khabib, he does not give us any recovery. He pushes all the time. But uncle Manap, he was so smart man. Khabib is smart too, really smart. He is everything just like his father, but not everything, little small things he does not have.”
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The 26-year-old described how his late uncle had a knack for predicting things in MMA and used an example from 2016.
Back in the day, Abdulmanap had predicted that Jon Jones could beat all the top five heavyweights in the UFC and today, almost nine years later, he is the heavyweight champion of the world.
“Jon Jones got his talent from God… Jon Jones is No.1 out of all fighters. Maybe not in terms of behavior or the law or anything else…I’m confident that he will wipe out the top-five heavyweights. That’s my expert opinion.”
Khabib’s father talking about Jon Jones at heavyweight back in 2016: pic.twitter.com/W0lSDwBmSd
— The Fight Bubble (@thefightbubble) March 5, 2023
Abdulmanap had also predicted that someday Khabib would become the champion and then Islam would take over from him, all of which came true.
And now their younger brother Umar is also in line to become a world champion.
Usman more stressed for Umar’s fight
The Dagestani dominance in MMA is poised to hit a new high this month, with Usman (18-0) defending his Bellator lightweight title against Paul Hughes (13-0) at Road to Dubai on Jan. 25.
A week earlier, on January 18, his brother Umar challenges Merab Dvalishvili for the UFC bantamweight title, and Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight strap against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311.
Training camps have split the team, with Khabib leading Umar and Islam in Las Vegas, while Usman stays in Dagestan. Logistical challenges, including a delayed visa, have kept him from joining his teammates. “Traveling back and forth with jet lag wasn’t ideal. But we have plenty of warriors in Dagestan to train with.” Usman explained.
Usman admits he’s more anxious about his teammates’ fights than his own. “I trust my skills, but I get nervous watching Umar, Islam, and Tagir fight,” he shared.
If all goes as planned, the Nurmagomedov team could start 2025 with Usman as the Bellator lightweight champion, Umar as the bantamweight champion, and Makhachev as the UFC lightweight champion, a true testament to Dagestan’s domination of the sport.
