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Khabib Nurmagomedov Admits Being “Nervous” Ahead of Umar Nurmagomedov and Tagir Ulanbekov’s UFC 272 Fights

Published 03/13/2022, 4:05 PM EDT

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Khabib Nurmagomedov has been a dedicated fighter all his career. Since retiring in 2021, the 33-year-old former UFC lightweight champion has trained some of his teammates. Recently, two of Nurmagomedov’s apprentices fought in the early prelims of UFC 272: Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal.

First, Tagir Ulanbekov battled Tim Elliott in the flyweight category, where the Russian fighter faced defeat. Later on, Khabib’s cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, saved the day for Team Khabib as he made Brian Kelleher submit in the first round.

While ‘The Eagle’ looked livid in the corner during Ulanbekov’s controversial loss, Umar Nurmagomedov’s win made him calm down a little. However, in a behind-the-scenes video of UFC 272 ceremonial weigh-ins, Khabib Nurmagomedov admits being nervous ahead of the fight day.

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While speaking to the camera, Nurmagomedov sounded concerned yet optimistic as he confessed to being wary of what the future could hold. He said, “A little bit nervous day… tomorrow… honestly.”

He directed his concern towards the fighters’ lack of experience. “Because… these two guys, they have only like… Tagir [Ulanbekov] two fights, Umar [Nurmagomedov] only one fight you know. They need experience but… we think they’re ready but you know anything can happen. That’s why we’re a little bit nervous,” said The Eagle.

He also credited this anxiety to Tim Elliott and Brian Kelleher, the opponents of Tagir Ulanbekov and Umar Nurmagomedov, respectively. Pointing towards the uncertainty of the sport, ‘The Eagle’ said, “Because they have like good opponents too you know. Like [Brian] Kelleher and Tim Elliott… big experience opponents and you know… but anyways, this is fight… you know… you always gonna have some risk.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Five MMA rising prospects that train under Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov gets a new ride

Apart from being one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, Khabib Nurmagomedov has various business ventures and investments. Because of these endeavors, the Russian-born fighter has amassed sizeable earnings over the years.

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In that case, it only makes sense for him to upgrade his toys now and then. Recently, MMA reporter ‘The Schmo’ uploaded a video on his Twitter account and revealed the Eagle’s new customized truck. The matte black truck, carrying his moniker ‘Eagle’ on the hood, looked pretty cool and also matches Nurmagomedov’s “smash” mentality.

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Written by:

Utkarsh Gathani

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Utkarsh Gathani is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. A Mass Communication graduate from Wilson College, this sports buff, who is captivated by multiple sports, adores MMA. Conor McGregor is the reason for that as Utkarsh is in awe of the man's unbelievable striking ability, his lifestyle, and his trash talking.
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