Umar Nurmagomedov secured another win at UFC Vegas 87 but it came with a scare in the first round! The Dagestani bantamweight made his return to competition after being sidelined due to an injury in 2023. He faced promotional newcomer, Bekzat Almakhan, whose MMA record had drawn a lot of attention during the build-up to their clash.

But the ‘Young Eagle’ demonstrated why he is considered a contender for the bantamweight title as he dominated much of the fight. The victory also led to a congratulatory post from former UFC lightweight champion and Umar’s cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov on social media, who was pleased with the outcome and his team’s preparation and performance!

Umar Nurmagomedov secures win against Bekzat Almakhan drawing praise from Khabib

Umar Nurmagomedov clinched another victory but not without a major scare. In the opening round, Bekzat Almakhan landed a punch that rocked Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov, however, recovered and secured a unanimous decision victory in the bout.

Other than the heavy shot in the first round, the rest of the fight was all Nurmagomedov as he dominated the fight on the ground and secured multiple takedowns over the course of 3 rounds. During the post-fight interview, the ‘Young Eagle’ admitted that the newcomer, Almakhan, was a difficult challenge to overcome.

He stated, “I thought I will take him down and choke him and it will be an easy fight but this guy is a monster. He’s tough and he tried to kill me.”

But the Dagestani bantamweight managed to keep his undefeated record intact, drawing high-praise from Khabib Nurmagomedov on Instagram. He shared a picture of the team inside the Octagon and captioned the post, “Love this guys @usman_nurmagomedov, @aliabdelaziz, @akajav @umar_nurmagomedov”

As Umar Nurmagomedov continues his journey in the bantamweight division, his latest win underscores his status as a serious contender for the title.

Read More: Joe Rogan’s Blunder Even Forced Khabib to Respond After Embarrassing Umar Nurmagomedov on Live TV in 2022

And in the post-fight press conference, he also blasted the ‘narratives’ surrounding his withdrawal from previous fights and aimed for the next challenge for him in the UFC!

 ‘Young Eagle’ blasts critics and puts ‘The Sandman’ on notice 

Umar Nurmagomedov, now 17-0 in MMA, isn’t happy. At UFC Vegas 87, he secured another victory, but he’s fed up with certain narratives surrounding his fight schedule and withdrawals. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, he stated, “Everybody talks about my pullouts, in my life, I pulled out because of me, my health – two times.”

He emphasized that his withdrawals were due to genuine health concerns, not fear or reluctance to fight. He also addressed Cory Sandhagen’s interest in fighting him, as a fight between the pair had previously been canceled due to Nurmagomedov’s withdrawal owing to a shoulder injury.

He stated, “Next is Cory Sandhagen. He (wants to) fight me on International (Fight Week)” and whether it’s Sandhagen or another opponent, Nurmagomedov is prepared to continue his journey in the bantamweight division and show the world his true capabilities.

Do you think Umar Nurmagomedov should face Cory Sandhagen next? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read More: Khabib Says Umar Will Receive Title Shot; Ex-UFC Champ Goes After Bantamweight’s Top Ranked Fighters