“I will smear and finish Yana.” Umar Nurmagomedov is the most dangerous threat in his division
March 3, 2024, 1:30 PM Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
He could become UFC champion this year.
On the night of March 3, undefeated Russian fighter Umar Nurmagomedov fought his fifth fight under the auspices of the UFC. And the opponent of the bearer of the famous surname was the Kazakh newcomer Bekzat Almakhan, who signed with the promotion shortly before the fight.
Before the tournament, Nurmagomedov repeatedly stated publicly that all opponents refused to fight him, and therefore he was ready to give absolutely any fighter a chance. At the same time, Umar, answering questions about the best fighters in the division, did not stand on ceremony. For example, in Merab Dvalishvili, who is on a nine-fight winning streak, Nurmagomedov sees no threat: “To be honest, I can fight Merab on any floor. Wherever you want, wherever you offer. He’s in Merab… I don’t know why Javier sees such a big threat in him; I don’t see any threat in him at all. I will not let him fight, in the stands he cannot say that he is technically equipped. He hits at random, no matter what. After that, he disappears… He is well prepared, his stamina is at a good level and he runs forward. I don’t know… As long as he wins. Until now he is helping him. But for my part, I don’t see any threat in him.”
Former champion Petr Yan also understood: “I don’t think Petr Yan is a serious test for me. I don’t see our fight with him. You can surround him, knock him down, take his back. If he says he wants to fight me, if the UFC says he wants this fight, then I will accept this fight. But I don’t want to call it a serious test.”
Pedro Yan
Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images
In this context, there were high expectations for Nurmagomedov’s fight, they wanted to see him as a true title contender. And the start of the fight with Almahan proved discouraging, as the newcomer caught Umar by surprise and knocked him down. To his credit, the Russian not only came to his senses quickly, but also took the round and then destroyed his opponent for two more five minutes, ending each takedown attempt with a transfer. Yes, there was no submission and from time to time Nurmagomedov lost advantageous positions, but at the same time there was complete control and a regular desire to inflict damage. Everything is in the style of early Khabib. The judges’ scores also speak to this: 30-25, 30-26, 30-26.
It was not possible to finish off the tough Almahan, but it was a truly dominant performance from Umar. Immediately after the fight, he challenged Corey Sandhagen, saying that it should be a contender’s fight. And at the press conference, Umar spoke again about possible opponents: “When I say I can crush and finish Petr Yan, I mean it. I can do it. When I say I can finish Sandhagen, I know I can do it. Not because he is arrogant, I just know my team.”
Everyone tries to avoid a fight with Umar:
They even offer to fight Mayweather. The most avoided UFC fighter is Khabib’s brother
Umar is a real threat to the division. In principle, few can stop their fight. Peter Yan usually defends himself well against transfers, but Nurmagomedov demonstrates this on a completely different level. Dvalishvili, who also opts for fighting, is no good for such damage and with so much control. In addition, Umar has a very decent shot, works very well from distance, feels confident and, if necessary, can surprise on this court. In their previous fight, the strong Raoni Barcelos was knocked out after encountering Nurmagomedov.
Umar Nurmagomedov
Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images
It is not in vain that they fear Umar: he has enormous potential and is likely to take power in this division for a long time. Due to his youth he has some moisture, as recalled by Almahan’s same missed shot, but he is progressing very quickly. This is not surprising considering the type of companions he has. If Nurmagomedov avoids injuries, another student of Abdulmanap could become a UFC champion this year.
