Because the UFC returns to the United Arab Emirates, all eyes shift focus to Umar Nurmagomedov. He takes on the powerful problem of dealing with the ever-dynamic Cory Sandhagen and will probably be on the lookout for the very best win of his profession by a rustic mile.
Will he rise to the event? Is Umar Nurmagomedov prepared for the bantamweight division’s elite, even potential a shot at Sean O’Malley? This weekend is his alternative to reply these questions.
Umar Nurmagomedov: Attending to the scales
Umar Nurmagomedov dons a fantastic weight on his shoulders. Along with his final identify, a lot is anticipated of the Dagestani native. His brother, Usman Nurmagomedov, is a champion in Bellator. His cousin: Khabib Nurmagomedov. Followers and analysts alike are fairly expectant of Umar Nurmagomedov with these accolades alone. Add his good 17-0 file on prime of this and the hype surrounding the Dagestani has hit important ranges.
So why the hesitation? In deeper MMA circles, some analyst query his stage of expertise. The primary difficulty is that Nurmagomedov has had a tough time making it to the day of a combat.
He and Sandhagen have been initially scheduled to indicate down in 2023. Umar Nurmagomedov was pressured out of that combat with a shoulder damage. By this time, pulling out can be a standard theme for the undefeated contender.
The explanations for this we’re clear: Umar Nurmagomedov missed plenty of the contracted fights that he was alleged to take.
It received’t be truthful to carry the Hunter Azure combat in opposition to him. That combat was canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Even the combat with Nathaniel Wooden is excusable; his uncle and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov handed away.
However Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face Sergey Morozov at UFC 254 and pulled out because of sickness. To his credit score that combat was rebooked three months later and he received through a second spherical rear bare choke. He was scheduled to face Jack Shore, a tricky take a look at for Nurmagomedov, in 2022 and pulled out of that combat with no actual cause excuse given. After which, in fact, the aforementioned Sandhagen combat.
It’s not persistent, like Alex Perez or Manel Kape, prior to now. However Umar Nurmagomedov has not been dependable.
That’s to not say he’s not been nice. The proof when he does combat has proven to be the opposite.
Unimaginable expertise
When he does combat, Umar Nurmagomedov is just spectacular. He’s beat fighters like Brian Kelleher and Raoni Barcelos. Each fighters, whereas not ranked, have been long-staples to the UFC’s stacked bantamweight division.
At 5-0 within the UFC, Nurmagomedov has three finishes. The one two fighters who went the space is Nate Maness and Bezkat Almakhan. The combat with Almakhan was nearer than most. However the win was clear for Nurmagomedov.
That is what has his followers pulling their hair out. Nice as Barcelos and Kelleher are, Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t have that key signature win. That’s the place Cory Sandhagen involves play.
Sandhagen is considered one of bantamweight’s finest and most tough fights for anybody. Like Sean O’Malley getting an enormous step up in competitors in Petr Yan after just a few years of “improvement” fights, Nurmagomedov will probably be taking up a fighter that’s orders of magnitude higher than anybody he’s fought earlier than.
Ought to he win, Nurmagomedov might see himself ranked within the prime three, changing Sandhagen at #2.
That is the event to which Umar Nurmagomedov. He has to indicate up on combat day and make it to the cage. He has to tackle the hardest contender within the UFC’s hardest division. A win will proceed the legacy of the Dagestani Dynasty.
