It’s been several years since Khabib Nurmagomedov hung up his gloves and stepped into a new role—one that honors his late father’s legacy as a coach and mentor. Since then, ‘The Eagle’ has become the guiding force behind one of MMA’s most elite camps, mentoring a powerhouse lineup that includes his cousins Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov, and a collection of surging talent making headlines both in and out of the Octagon.

Although Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégés are carving out their own legacies, none have eclipsed the iconic presence of ‘The Eagle’ himself. Khabib remains the face of the Dagestani takeover in MMA. And even as Makhachev continues his reign or his cousins stack up wins, Khabib’s mere presence still commands center stage. That became clear again last week when Khabib made a surprise appearance in New York for a fan Q&A session.

There, he dropped one bombshell after another—starting with the announcement that Islam Makhachev will face Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title at UFC 322, This will mark Makhachev’s debut at welterweight and at the iconic MSG venue, with the likely date being November 15, 2025. But Khabib Nurmagomedov continued to make headlines. He also addressed the future of his cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov.

‘Young Eagle’, who was riding an 18-fight win streak, recently suffered his first career defeat at the hands of reigning bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311. Now, Khabib Nurmagomedov is doing everything he can to help his cousin rebound—but the road back to the title isn’t without obstacles. At the Q&A, Khabib confirmed what’s next for Umar.

“On October 18, Umar will fight in Vancouver. Five rounds.” Nurmagomedov continued, “Let’s see how he’s recovered from the loss. I don’t know exactly. His name is Umar. Mine is Khabib. We’re completely different people. So we’ll see.” Nurmagomedov added, “If he comes back stronger and shows he can go five rounds, then one more fight and the UFC will give him another shot. So two more fights and he’ll fight for the title. I believe, I hope, he comes back stronger—and wins.”

With that, it’s clear that a bantamweight title shot is at least two fights away for Umar Nurmagomedov. But his recent defeat was more than just a blemish on his record—it disrupted the aura of dominance that Nurmagomedov family had built. Before UFC 311, the group stood as a proud testament to Dagestan’s wrestling legacy. Alongside his cousins helped craft one of the most intimidating family résumés in UFC history, turning their collective rise into a symbol of Dagestani excellence on the sport’s biggest stage.

Team Khabib coach defends Umar Nurmagomedov over nepotism allegations

Nepotism has long existed in civilized society but seeing it surface in the MMA world is still a rarity. That changed last year, when then-#13-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov defeated top-three contender Cory Sandhagen in dominant fashion. The win rocketed him up 10 places in the bantamweight rankings and ignited fresh momentum from Team Khabib, who immediately pushed for a title shot against Merab Dvalishvili.

But Dvalishvili wasn’t having it. The Georgian champion reminded fans that he had to grind through a grueling win streak to earn his own title opportunity. And while many believed Umar Nurmagomedov’s rise was merit-based, the optics were hard to ignore. Under mounting pressure from Team Khabib and the weight of the Nurmagomedov name, Dana White & Co. eventually granted ‘Young Eagle’ a title shot.

What came as a surprise, though, was the candid response from Team Khabib’s head coach, Javier Mendez. Rather than outright rejecting the allegations, he offered a nuanced admission during a podcast episode:

“Well, part of that’s true, you know. Part of that’s true. But Umar’s deserved to be there. He’s proven it by what he did—I mean, he beat Sandhagen thoroughly. So, you know, and he beat everybody that was put in front of him. So yeah, part of it is the name being big. But you know, that’s what the business is all about too, right? It’s like—who’s going to sell the most tickets? Who’s going to bring more eyeballs? And it’s Umar. So, I’m sorry.”

Analysts on MMAFighting and other outlets are already debating the Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena booking—some lamenting that the superfight against Ilia Topuria won’t happen, while others praise Makhachev’s move up while divisions stay active.

So, what’s your take on Mendez’s words? Do you think the UFC would have granted Umar Nurmagomedov a title shot if he weren’t Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousin? Share your opinion below.