Team Khabib fighter doesn’t have ‘anything special’ despite being undefeated, says ex-UFC champion

Top contender Umar Nurmagomedov is not that special is what ex-UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan feels at the moment.

Team Khabib fighter doesn’t have ‘anything special’ despite being undefeated, says ex-UFC champion

Petr Yan doesn't believe in the hype surrounding Team Khabib’s Umar Nurmagomedov (via Imago/X)

Umar Nurmagomedov is the newest star from Team Khabib to register his name as a top UFC fighter successfully. After his latest win, he has earned the spot of number one contender in the bantamweight division. Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s protege is undefeated and has incredible fighting talent. However, Petr Yan thinks otherwise.

Umar Nurmagomedov, last month at UFC Abu Dhabi, showed why he’s a threat to all the top bantamweight fighters. Umar put on a dominant performance against Cory Sandhagen and outclassed him everywhere. While many, including the champion Sean O’Malley, were impressed by his performance, Petr isn’t a fan of Nurmagomedov’s fighting style.

I don’t see anything special about. Of course he’s a strong young guy who goes and wins, but something special, I don’t see it…Cory showed that he is a strong fighter, showed many of Umar’s holes
Petr Yan via Ushatayka
YouTube video

Nurmagomedov is a complete fighter. Other than the Dagestani wrestling, he has an incredible striking prowess. UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier hyped the fighter to be better than Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. Irrespective of the criticism, Umar Nurmagomedov has rightfully earned his spot and is eager to get the bantamweight title. 

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On the contrary, since losing his bantamweight title against Aljamain Sterling, Yan went on a three-fight streak without a win. The Russian fighter managed to break the losing momentum with a decision win over Song Yadong at UFC 299. Yan is now focused on his upcoming challenge and has already made moves for the match-up.

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Ex-UFC champion Petr Yan wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo 

The second half of the UFC 2024 schedule is just as jam-packed with big-name bouts as the first. A number of the top names, including Alex Pereira and Sean O’Malley, are preparing for their respective title defenses. Petr Yan, who won at UFC 299, is also eager to return and plans to compete at UFC 310.

Petr Yan wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo later this year
Petr Yan wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo later this year (via Imago)

Recently, the Russian fighter took to X and mentioned that he was willing to participate in the last PPV card of the year. When asked about his opponent, ‘No Mercy’ mentioned Deiveson Figueiredo as the perfect opponent. The matchup makes sense considering both were former UFC champions. Moreover, either could snatch a title shot with a win over the other.

However, the former flyweight champion has set his eyes on UFC gold. The Brazilian made his bantamweight debut last year and has defeated top fighters such as Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera. On paper, the fight between Yan and Figueiredo looks interesting enough to capture the attention of fight fans. However, it would be intriguing to watch if the UFC chooses to move through with it.

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