Umar Nurmagomedov: Everything You Need to know about the UFC Fighter

LockerRoom Team

30 June 2021

Umar Nurmagomedov is one of the rising names in the UFC roster and the cousin of former UFC Lightweight World Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov . Here is everything you need to know about the MMA fighter from Dagestan.

Amateur MMA Career and WMMAA World Championship

Umar had a decorated amateur MMA career. He had a recorded number of four wins. His first three wins came at the WMMAA 2016 World Championship Selections. Umar then secured a win at the WMMAA 2016 World MMA championships finals as well.

Starting off his professional MMA career

Just like his cousins Khabib Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov, Umar started his MMA career in the domestic MMA circuit of Russia. His professional MMA debut came back on 16 December 2016 when he fought Rishat Kharisov at Fight Nights Global 57. He won the fight via a Peruvian necktie submission in the second round as well.

Umar fought his second professional fight a month later. He fought Ulukbek Amanbaev at the Fight Stars event and secured a first-round submission victory. He then became a mainstay at Fight Nights Global. Umar fought three back-to-back fights in the promotion.

He won against Alym Isabaev, Valisher Rakhmonov, and Nauruz Dzamikhov with the win against Dzamikhov being the first fight of his professional career that went the distance. Umar was 5-0 in his professional MMA career at this point.

His sixth fight came against Fatkhidin Sobirov at Battle on Volga 4. Umar won that fight via a unanimous decision to take his record to 6-0.

Umar Nurmagomedov in PFL

Umar competed in the 2018 season of Professional Fighters League (PFL). He fought against Saidyokub Kakharamonov at PFL 7 and secured a unanimous decision victory. Before his return to PFL in 2019, Umar fought two more times. He returned to Battle on Volga in 2019 and fought Wagner Lima and got a unanimous decision win.

In July 2019, he fought Taras Grytskiv at GFC 14: Dagestan where he got a first-round submission win. A month later, Umar made his return to the PFL and completed at PFL 6 in the 2019 PFL Season.

He secured a unanimous decision win over Sidemar Honorio at the event before returning to GFC in November 2019. His last fight between signing with the UFC came at GFC when he fought Braian Gonzalez. It was a first-round submission win for Umar via a rear-naked choke.

Umar Nurmagomedov UFC

The news of Umar Nurmagomedov joining the UFC was revealed in January 2020. The news was revealed by Khabib Nurmagomedov through his Instagram account.

“Brother @umar_nurmagomedov you have a lot to prove, when I signed up for #ufc there were many people who did not believe in me, but my team and my close people supported and believed in me. Trust in the Almighty and work will bear fruit. You have everything for the result, and now act and prove that you are among the best athletes in the world,” Khabib wrote on his Instagram account.

Later, UFC made the official announcement on February 27, 2020, through their UFC Russia Instagram handle.

“OFFICIALLY! Umar Nurmagomedov joined the ranks of the UFC bantamweight division. He will debut on April 19 via # UFC249. Who would you like to see as the first rival?” The post from UFC read.

Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Sergey Morozov

The UFC debut of Umar Nurmagomedov came against Sergey Morozov at UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Magny.

In the fight, Kicks and slick standup were used to inflict early damage before the Nurmagomedov family's bread and butter, wrestling, was used to secure the victory. Midway through Round 2, Umar used his fifth takedown of the fight to gain dominant back position, from which he buried in a rear-naked choke to stop the fight at 3:39.

"I'm very happy. All my hard work has paid off. I have a lot of work ahead. I have to keep working." Nurmagomedov noted after the win.

Khabib also had his take on the win and had the following to say.

“It was expected you know, Umar have very good kicks, he have very good kick. And his kick is much better than his boxing but I want his boxing to become good like his kick then he going to be like amazing because his kicks like very fast, very hard, like heavy you know. But he need a little bit more, Tyson Style,” Khabib noted.

Future UFC Bantamweight champion as per Javier Mendez

Javier Mendez thinks that Umar Nurmagomedov is a future UFC Bantamweight Champion.

“I’ve been saying it, in five or six fights, I expect him to be fighting for a title, and I believe we’re seeing a new champion, 100 percent. He still has some improvements to make, but he’s going to make them. And yeah, you will be seeing him with the strap in five or six fights from now. “It’s everything; they all look up to Khabib. He’s like a big brother and a role model. He’s everything they want to be like, and he provides for them opportunities, whether it be on the physical or the mental. He’s there for them, and they’re well taken care of. He makes sure that everything is done right for them, so they can’t be nothing but success with him because of all the knowledge and support he gives them,” Mendez noted during his interview with MMA Junkie back in February 2021.

Umar Nurmagomedov Record, weight and height

Umar Nurmagomedov currently holds a professional record of 13-0 to his name. Out of this, six wins came via submission when six wins came via TKO or KO. Umar has six wins via decision.

Umar is 5 ft 8 inches tall (172.72. cm) and fights at Bantamweight as mentioned earlier.

Umar Nurmagomedov Instagram

Umar Nurmagomedov is on Instagram as @umar_nurmagomedov. He is mildly active on the social media platform and makes posts about his career outside and inside the cage.

Is Umar Nurmagomedov related to UFC superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov?

As mentioned earlier, Umar Nurmagomedov and Khabib Nurmagomedov are cousins. Both of them hail from Dagestan in Russia.

What do you think of the rising MMA star? Let us know in the comment section of the article below.

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