SUMMARY
- Umar Nurmagomedov is an unbeaten Russian prospect, hailing from Dagestan.
- He has quickly become one of the most feared fighters in his division.
Umar Nurmagomedov is one of the most hyped-up prospects the UFC has seen in a while. Owing to his family background and his performances inside the Octagon, there has been a lot of talk regarding the young man. With that said, let’s what he is all about.
For those unaware, Umar is an unbeaten Russian prospect, hailing from the same roots as his brother Usman Nurmagomedov and cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov. Not only does he come from a lineage of great wrestlers, but he also fights like them as well. Having made his way into the UFC in 2021, he has quickly become one of the most feared fighters in his division.
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As such, the 28-year-old is currently ranked #13 in the bantamweight division. Unfortunately, seeing that his reputation precedes him, there is a big narrative around the fact that nobody wants to take a fight against Umar. Thus, his career has at times felt halted, with the UFC seemingly struggling to put together fights for him. However, that has not stopped the young Dagestani from having high ambitions.
Umar Nurmagomedov’s UFC career earnings
For the most part, Umar Nurmagomedov has had a bright start to life in the UFC. Having fought his way through numerous regional promotions and the PFL, Umar made his UFC debut in 2022 against Sergey Morozov. On the night, Umar had an impressive performance, rounded off with a rear naked choke submission in Round 2.
Thereafter, the youngster was put in against Brian Kelleher at UFC 272. On the night Umar once again made light work of his opponent with a rear naked choke, this time in Round 1. Thereafter he would go the distance with Nate Maness, winning a unanimous decision. In his latest fight, Umar put in his best performance yet securing a standout KO/TKO win over Raoni Barcelos in early 2023.
One of the scariest fighters in the bantamweight division 🤯
Rising star @UNmgdv is coming for another dominant victory Saturday!
[ 4pmET /1pmPT | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/8DCoSTc5Sy
— UFC (@ufc) February 28, 2024
As for his first and last fights, Umar reportedly secured $114,000 for each win. As for his other performances, the fighter earned his base pay of $30,000 with an additional $30,000 to win. Considering the fight week incentive and sponsorships, Nurmagomedov has pocketed approximately $360,000 from his fights so far.
Umar Nurmagomedov faces Bekzat Almakhan at UFC Vegas 87
As mentioned previously, Umar Nurmagomedov has had a tough go of things, owing to his impressive performances. Prior to and since his arrival at the UFC, Umar has had 5 fight cancellations. Whilst some have been due to his fitness, it is easy to see that the promotion has struggled to put together fights for him
Previously, Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face bantamweight mainstay Cory Sandhagen. In what could have potentially fast-tracked his career, Umar was unfortunately ruled out due to injury. For the most part, many praised Sandhagen for even considering the fight and were relieved to see it not happen. Despite Sandhagen likely being next for a title shot, many were scared for him in a fight against Umar.
Over time, the fighter has also bought into his hype, displaying a certain swagger and arrogance. In recent weeks, we have also seen the fighter call for Merab Dvalishvili, one of the division’s top contenders. In the meantime, the UFC has had to bring in a new fighter, Bekzat Almakhan to give Umar a scrap. Whilst he is most certainly expected to prevail, many are keen to see what comes next for the Dagestani prospect.