Ahead of his third Bellator lightweight title defense, Usman Nurmagomedov has surprised fans by naming his MMA GOAT.
On January 25, Usman Nurmagomedov will defend his lightweight title against Irish fighter Paul Hughes in what promises to be another intense matchup between Russia and Ireland.
As the fight approaches, tensions have escalated between Nurmagomedov and Hughes. This tension intensified after Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman’s cousin and coach, criticized the current state of Irish MMA, reigniting his ongoing feud with Conor McGregor.
Usman has named Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his late father, as his MMA GOAT. With Russia’s growing dominance in the MMA world, much of that success can be attributed to Abdulmanap’s influence and coaching prowess.
The former Eagles MMA coach guided numerous athletes to championship success during his tenure, helping to establish Eagles MMA as a formidable force alongside prominent gyms like American Top Team and Team Alpha Male.
He coached Khabib and Islam Makhachev to UFC lightweight championships, significantly impacting the careers of Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov as well.
Tragically, Abdulmanap passed away in 2020 due to complications from COVID-19. His death led to Khabib’s retirement from MMA and prompted him to transition into coaching.
The debate over the greatest of all time (GOAT) in MMA is ongoing, with fans frequently discussing the merits of fighters like Jon Jones, Khabib, Anderson Silva, and Georges St-Pierre. Despite this, Usman has unequivocally declared his uncle Abdulmanap as the GOAT ahead of his title defense on January 25.
“My opinion, as to who is the best fighter of all time, it is Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov,” Usman shared with CBS Sports. “He made us. He was not only a coach, he was a competitor too, in judo, wrestling, everything. He made the whole team.”
Usman continued, “I don’t have any competition with my brothers. This is other people’s deal. But for me, one of the best, it’s my uncle, it’s my older brother Umar, it’s Islam, it’s Khabib. All of these guys are better than me.”
In the lead-up to his fight against Hughes, Usman has also made headlines with his comments regarding Conor McGregor. Khabib will be in Usman’s corner for the bout, and Hughes has extended an invitation for McGregor to join him in his corner, opposing Khabib.
McGregor responded, stating that he would support Hughes if things escalate, but this does not intimidate Nurmagomedov. He confidently stated that he would be prepared to face McGregor too if necessary.
“It doesn’t matter if McGregor shows up. Even if Conor comes to the cage, I can smash both these guys. I don’t care,” Nurmagomedov told Brian Campbell in an interview.
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