He is not Khabib: Brian Kelleher planning to finish Umar Nurmagomedov

02 March 2022

Brian Kelleher will be going up against Umar Nurmagomedov this weekend at UFC 272. Kelleher will be going into the fight on the back of a two-fight winning streak and will be looking to build on the same when he fights Umar Nurmagomedov.

Speaking ahead of the fight, Kelleher noted that he will be looking to finish Umar in the fight and added that Umar is not similar to former UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“I’m not looking at him like he is just like Khabib. He’s not the same guy, nobody is Khabib. Coming into this fight, I feel very confident I can shut him down and take his 0 and that’s what I’m here to do,” he said (via BJ Penn.com)

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He further went on to break down the skillset of Umar and added that he will takedown Umar.

“I could see where he is comfortable, he likes the kicking range but he likes to fight when it’s not a high-volume scrap. A guy like me likes forward pressure and land those heavy shots. Just get inside and just mix in my boxing and wrestling. We haven’t seen this guy get taken down and be on his back and I believe I can take anybody down. Of course, I’m always looking for the finish. Going the distance is good for the experience and getting the rounds in, it never hurts to go the distance,” Kelleher later added. “But, the name of the game is to hit you, hurt you and get you out of there quickly. I see myself winning this fight with aggression, just more will to win the fight,” he added.

Hailing from Russia, Umar currently holds a professional MMA record of 13-0 to his name and is 1-0 in the UFC as well. He made his UFC debut back in January 2021 and will be looking to improve his winning streak when he fights Kelleher.

What are your predictions for this showdown? Let us know in the comments below.

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