Umar Nurmagomedov Admits Not Having Same Mentality as Khabib To Reach Same Level of Greatness

Umar Nurmagomedov gets real about Khabib Nurmagomedov's levels after win against Mario Bautista at UFC 321.

Umar Nurmagomedov Admits Not Having Same Mentality as Khabib To Reach Same Level of Greatness

Umar Nurmagomedov talks about Khabib Nurmagomedov's training (via MMA Fighting)

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Many fighters in modern MMA still model their careers on the template built by Khabib Nurmagomedov, whose unbeaten run and disciplined approach reshaped expectations in the sport. Umar Nurmagomedov is part of that lineage, entering the UFC with both the pressure and the benefit of being attached to a proven system associated with sustained dominance.

Umar’s most recent appearance at UFC 321 came against Mario Bautista, where a composed and technical performance strengthened his case for a second meeting with Merab Dvalishvili. He faced a unanimous decision loss to Dvalishvili at UFC 311. However, his ability to maintain positional control against an opponent on an eight-fight win streak was viewed as an essential step in the title picture.

Khabib’s competitive legacy is partly defined by extreme consistency in training and adherence to routine, even when circumstances are not ideal. This culture of total discipline was a primary reference point in the UFC 321 post-fight press conference when Umar acknowledged the training gap between them as the standard he has compared himself to.

Khabib could come home from a tough trip, arrive at 12 at night, change clothes, and go run. If he didn’t manage to get even one training session during the day, he would still hit pads at home at night. The difference between us is that he gave all of himself to this. And we don’t. You have to be honest. At 12 at night, I can force myself to go run maybe 5 times out of 10, because I think: ‘He did it. He went. He worked. So I must, if I want to achieve something.’

Umar Nurmagomedov via UFC 321 press conference

The ‘Eagle’ was physically present in Umar’s corner for the Bautista bout, offering strategic oversight in real time. Umar leaned heavily into grappling phases, suffocating transitions, and even came back from a brutal knockdown, which mirrored the stylistic blueprint associated with Khabib. The young Dagestani then ended the discussion and acknowledged the difference in their respective training volumes.

He was fanatical about training. Maybe also because the Almighty gave him this physical strength. In the gym, everything works for me — I can control guys, I can go for submissions. But in the cage, he (Khabib) is psychologically much stronger than me. And in the cage I feel like something is missing. I’ll keep striving

Umar Nurmagomedov via UFC 321 press conference

Through his UFC tenure, Khabib secured finishes across his championship run without suffering visible damage or being placed in prolonged defensive danger. His one-sided wins over contenders and former champions such as Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Conor McGregor form a core reference set when his dominance is measured against others in the division’s history.

For Umar Nurmagomedov, the pathway ahead is defined by whether he can convert technical competence and guidance from an undefeated champion into tangible belts in an era with deeper depth at bantamweight. The comparison to Khabib Nurmagomedov functions not as a rivalry but as a benchmark, and the current trajectory places him in proximity to another title-relevant test.

Umar Nurmagomedov reveals Khabib’s warning that may have caused him to lose against Mario Bautista

Having a UFC legend like Khabib Nurmagomedov in the corner is considered to be a “cheat code”. For Umar Nurmagomedov, the connection to the ‘Eagle’ is personal as he is the cousin of the former lightweight champion. Khabib was vocal about Umar’s prowess long before the 29-year-old made his UFC debut and has overseen his training ever since his first fight in the promotion.

Khabib Nurmagomedov advising Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321
Khabib Nurmagomedov advising Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321 (via Bloody Elbow)

The young Dagestani had promised to get back in the win column at UFC 321 after his January 2025 loss to Merab Dvalishvili. However, he also promised to show how fighters with the Nurmagomedov name make comebacks in a fight. He delivered exactly that with a win against Mario Bautista. Umar recently revealed how he made a mistake in the bout, which Khabib had warned him about prior.

I will work a lot, I have this big mistake, I always go down, you know, I do it a lot of times. Even in the gym, coach Khabib told me Don’t do this, you have to fix this and today I paid for it, and we are not perfect, right, but we will try to become. Khabib said you did good but you have a lot of space to grow up, today we are done but we are not finished.

Umar Nurmagomedov vai UFC 321 press conference

While Umar Nurmagomedov’s performance against Bautista was dominant, there were a few moments in the fight that tested his endurance. A knee rocked Nurmagomedov to the head in the second round, but he was able to recover successfully. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s warning undoubtedly served as pivotal advice that the young Dagestani would make sure to correct in his future matchups.

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