UFC Abu Dhabi headliner Umar Nurmagomedov admitted this week that he’s a little surprised – just a little, mind you – that he’s a sizeable favorite in his bantamweight fight with Cory Sandhagen.
“I don’t know why it’s happened. I’m surprised, I’m surprised. Not too much, I don’t think it’s going to be a big difference,” stated Nurmagomedov (17-0), a cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. “I think it’s going to be a little bit.”
With the family name attached and an undefeated record, Umar is seen as a future champ. That sort of talk adds a bit of pressure, he also acknowledged. “Little bit, it’s pressure, little bit. But I’m preparing for this, and I have to understand what I want. And I’m ready for everything. For this pressure, for hate, for anything.”
The questions regarding cousin Khabib are seemingly endless when it comes to Umar Nurmagomedov, who is also brother of Bellator MMA lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov. In particular, questions about training with Khabib, who as a coach has become legendary for grueling training sesions.
“I think we’re lucky because we have a coach like Khabib. It’s really tough training, to train with him, but iron sharpens iron, and we’re just grinding, we’re just becoming strong,” Umar stated on that front. “I think it’s good for us.”
Nurmagomedov has allegedly been promised a title shot with a win over Sandhagen. The timing is fortuitous, given champ Sean O’Malley will defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili in September.
“It’s very good, it’s very good they fight next month. I will try to go to see this fight, in Las Vegas,” said Nurmagomedov. “I want to watch this fight. I hope I will fight with champion beginning of next year, January, February. Before Ramadan is going to be a very good time.”
As to who he fights, from a tactical perspective, it doesn’t seem to matter. “I don’t know, it’s difficult. For me it doesn’t matter. I can fight both.”
“With Merab, I think he will try to take me down, but I will strike with him. In striking, he’s not good,” suggested Nurmagomedov. “With Sean, I will do whatever I want.”
“It’s hard to say who’s going to win between them. I wish O’Malley wins, I think he’s a bigger name, but for me it doesn’t matter, [whether I’m] fighting with Merab, or O’Malley.”
Watch the full UFC Abu Dhabi media day appearance by Umar Nurmagomedov above.
