Khabib’s Father Abdulmanap Punished Umar Nurmagomedov in the Most Unique Way to Unlock True Potential, Reveals Insider

Umar Nurmagomedov is just one step away from achieving “father’s dream” when he steps inside the Octagon against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 for the bantamweight title. The 18-0 star has shown a fighting style that’s vastly different from that of his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, as he has a pedigree of striking that’s technically sound and clinically precise. How did Umar get so good, some say even technically superior to Khabib. Well, it appears that Umar’s fighting developed because of Khabib’s father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s decision.

During a recent interview with Russian outlet Ushatayka, fellow UFC fighter and Umar Nurmagomedov’s teammate, Tagir Ulanbekov, revealed that the bantamweight title contender had always been a keen user of his kicking game. Also, Khabib’s cousin would later go on to develop excellent wrestling and submission skills, setting him apart from the other fighters on his team. “He always swung his legs. Now, in his fights, too, you see, with his hands and legs, both. This is what distinguished him, and gradually, he learned to defend himself from wrestling, too,” Tagir Ulanbekov stated.

He’d further reveal that part of the reason why Umar Nurmagomedov developed a skill different from his teammates was because Khabib’s father decided to bar him from training wrestling for a considerable amount of time.“It’s all our coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He didn’t even let him in freestyle wrestling. He closed it there in freestyle wrestling for a long time,” Tagir Ulanbekov added. (via YouTube auto translate)

Despite how good he’s shown to be, going up against a wrestler of a similar aggressive approach in Merab Dvalishvili could be a tough challenge for Umar Nurmagomedov, but for a former teammate and UFC champion, it seems unlikely. In fact, he claims Umar could very well “dominate” ‘The Machine’ at UFC 311. here’s what the former champ had to say.

Umar Nurmagomedov vs Merab Dvalishvili will be a one-sided affair, claims former 185lbs champ

A battle between two fighters from neighboring nations, Umar Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili, is sure to entertain fans with some guaranteed action. But for Luke Rockhold, the fight is Khabib’s cousin’s for the taking. While claiming that Umar is a more complete fighter than ‘The Eagle’ and even his protégé, Islam Makhachev, the former middleweight champion, predicts a dominant showing from the 18-0 star at UFC 311. It’s especially because Rockhold’s had first-hand experience of training with the bantamweight star in the past.

“Umar has always had it; he’s always been that next generation of fighters. You had Khabib, who was incredibly strong in grappling, then Islam, who brought a more dynamic striking game,” Rockhold stated on the Jaxxon podcast. “Umar is the next evolution. [He’s] so fluid, so creative. He has great wrestling, everything those guys had, and more.”

Top Comment by holiday

Umar with his style of fighting ìs completely different from khabib and Islam. Umar is 18-0 and I believe 6-0...more

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Debate

Coach Abdulmanap’s decision to bar Umar Nurmagomedov from doing some wrestling training proved to be a great decision for him to develop his striking, but it did not harm the wrestling aspect of his fighting style. The undefeated star has seven submission wins to his name so far, and it remains to be seen if he adds another to that list or decides to go for a knockout. What do you think? Can Umar overcome Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311? Drop your comments below.