Sean O’Malley would be the current at Bantamweight in Final Combating Championship because the Bantamweight champion, however Umar Nurmagomedov is likely to be the longer term.
Any fighter with the final identify “Nurmagomedov” immediately stands out within the blended martial arts (MMA) world and the “Younger Eagle” isn’t any completely different. The undefeated 16-0 Nurmagomedov is presently on an identical trajectory to be the following model of his legendary cousin, the previous UFC Light-weight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. A lot in order that a number of elite-level 135-pound fighters count on him to be a champion in the future.
American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) head coach, Javier Mendez, isn’t any stranger to ultra-talented world champions, and having labored with each Nurmagomedovs, sees a future the place an identical rivalry to Khabib’s with Conor McGregor performs out at Bantamweight.
“I believe Umar and Sean may very well be as large as McGregor and Khabib, however the one factor is Sean O’Malley has extra class than McGregor. He received’t carry faith, nation, and household into the image,” Mendez informed Lord Ping. “I don’t suppose Sean would go that low. I believe he’ll maintain it between him and Umar and go away it at that. Let the fighters discuss crap, however go away household, go away the nation, go away faith out of it.”
Nurmagomedov’s Light-weight title tilt with McGregor in October 2018 was one of the crucial heated match ups within the sport’s historical past, ensuing within the largest pay-per-view (PPV_ of all time with 2.4 million buys. In the long run, Nurmagomedov bested the Irishman through a fourth spherical neck crank.
Umar, 27, was slated for the largest combat of his profession towards Cory Sandhagen at UFC Nashville this previous month (Aug. 5, 2023). Sadly for him, he suffered a shoulder harm that compelled him out of the bout. His final win got here impressively, ending Raoni Barcelos with a primary spherical technical knockout in January 2023. Mendez expects his new star pupil to be returning across the begin of 2024.
“I’m hoping Umar can get cleared to coach in late December or early January, that’s the timeframe I’m taking a look at,” Mendez mentioned. “He might practice now, however there’s limitations on what he can do. As soon as he’s again we will take a look at fights. I need a top-five man, I don’t care who it’s. It’s about Umar getting the challenges he must get to the title. If it’s Cory Sandhagen, nice. If it’s another person nice. Sadly, it’s as much as the UFC who they provide you. We don’t get a lot of a alternative. We might ask but when we don’t we are going to get it.”
