Umar Nurmagomedov proved Saturday night at UFC on ESPN 38 that, like his cousing Khabib, he too is an excellent fighter.
Nurmagomedov (15-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) dominated Nathan Maness (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) en route to a unanimous decision win with scores of 30-27, 30-26 and 30-25.
The bantamweight fight was part of the main card that took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ninety seconds into the contest, Nurmagomedov got his first takedown of the night.
He also displayed grappling pressure that his cousin Khabib, a former UFC lightweight champion, made part of his repertoire.
Umar Nurmagomedov control the fight
Nurmagomedov nearly delivered a late submission in the first round, but Maness got saved by the bell.
Round 2 saw Nurmagomedov plant Maness on his back and control the entire frame, landing big shots while still on top of his opponent.
Nurmagomedov landed a hard kick to the face of Maness in the final round, landing solid strikes before securing a takedown and battering his opponent until the final bell.
The powerful kick quickly went viral on social media and UFC fans were surprised to see that Khabib’s cousin really has that “dog” in him.
Umar Nurmagomedov is just getting started
During his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, Nurmagomedov stated that he wants to become a UFC champion.
“I’m going to continue to fight and I’m going to work and I’m going to be the champion,” Nurmagomedov said.
He also claimed that he’s ready to break into the top 10 at 135 pounds with his next fight.
Nurmagomedov, 26, is a Russian-born fighter who has Khabib in his corner and could very-well become the next UFC superstar.
Marca
