Merab Dvalishvili conquered a Dagestani mountain when he handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first career loss at UFC 311. Does a similar fate await his younger brother Usman this weekend? A few days have passed since the fight, and Usman Nurmagomedov has shared his thoughts on his mental state following his brother’s defeat.

After his brother’s fight at UFC 311, it is now Usman Nurmagomedov’s time to clash against Paul Hughes on January 25th to defend his Bellator belt for the final time. However, is he a bit shaken by his brother’s defeat? Well, according to the undefeated fighter, he is certainly rattled but it just made him strong mentally. “It was a tough time, a hard time for me. But we agree that what happened with us, whether it was good stuff or bad stuff—Alhamdulillah—does not make me weak. It just made me more mentally strong, and I have to win this fight,” said Usman Nurmagomedov in a conversation with ‘TalkSport’.

Many questions have been raised about the preparedness of Team Khabib’s camp after the defeat and Usman Nurmagomedov aims to shut them down forever in his clash against Paul Hughes. Beyond retaining the belt, the fight represents an opportunity for the Dagestani fighter to break the string of misfortune. It must be noted that there has been impeding animosity between Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov.

At the promotional photoshop in Dubai, when Hughes asserted that it was his time to rise, Nurmagomedov countered him by stating that they could settle the score right there in the street and claimed that Hughes is nothing in front of his legacy. This counter might sell the fight and can bring him closer to the UFC but one thing is for sure – if he fails to achieve victory then this month would prove to be the worst in history for the Nurmagomedov clan.

Regardless, the Bellator champion has promised to finish his match in style. He is certain that he will end his fight exactly as his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov ended his fight against Conor McGregor at UFC 229.

Usman Nurmagomedov plans to repeat history at Dagestan vs. Ireland 2.0

If everything plays well, then Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be under the same roof in Dubai to witness their fighters take on each other. Usman Nurmagomedov is certain that he would protect his zero and clinch the victory. However, how will he do this?

While having a conversation with the media, the Bellator champion emphasized, “I think I was living in Australia at the time in Sydney. I remember just the energy around it and how excited people were for that. I mean, Ireland vs Dagestan number one was the biggest event in MMA history. We’re not quite there with Ireland vs Dagestan number two, but I’ll tell you what we’re making a good splash at it.”

He added, “The first time, we all see what happened. The second time, nothing is going to change.” Usman Nurmagomeodv is absolutely certain about what he must do to maintain the strong position of Team Khabib in the MMA world but will he be able to defend their honor or will it be another defeat for them? The answer to this question lies this weekend. What’s your take on the hubbub? State your thoughts in the comments below.