What happens when your family name casts a longer shadow than your own accomplishments? That’s the story swirling around Umar Nurmagomedov. The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the ‘Young Eagle’ is undefeated in his professional career. In his last fight against Cory Sandhagen, Umar pulled off an impressive win and is currently poised as the number one contender for the bantamweight title held by Merab Dvalishvili.

Yet, for Petr Yan, the Dagestani fighter’s incredible rise in 6 UFC appearances may not just be due to his skills inside the Octagon. In a recent interview, the former bantamweight king highlighted the fact that the Nurmagomedov family name has opened a lot of doors for Umar. But despite that, ‘No Mercy’ has already got a plan in mind for UFC Macau to reclaim his crown!

Petr Yan fires off a salvo against Umar Nurmagomedov for “big support” behind his rise in the UFC  

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, shared on Instagram by Red Corner MMA, Petr Yan stated, “Umar is very young and obviously talented fighter, a very good fighter but we know what helped him to go so fast and rise up in the division. His family name helped him, he have a big support behind his back. So I believe, to be fair, he needs at least a couple more wins to be a contender for the belt.”

It’s a sharp jab, one that cuts through the respectful politicking of the sport. While acknowledging the Dagestani fighter’s talent, Yan believes the young contender still has more to prove. The champion, Merab Dvalishvili’s own reluctance to face Nurmagomedov has also fueled Yan’s confidence.

‘No Mercy’ is set to take on former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau/UFC on ESPN+ 106. While in past interviews, Dvalishvili has indicated that the Brazilian “excites” him more for a title defense than Nurmagomedov, Yan has other plans in mind.

He further shared, “Only bad soldier doesn’t want to be a general so in my head, I visualize how I win, how my hand get raised and then I call out Merab.” Does this calculated strategy play in Yan’s favor, or is he overlooking the dangers posed by his immediate opponent? The Brazilian is a former champion with a dangerous toolkit and hasn’t lost a fight since moving up to bantamweight in 2023.

Yet, the question remains, has Umar Nurmagomedov done enough to be in the conversations for a title shot? Because it’s not just Petr Yan who believes that the Dagestani fighter has been given an express route to a title shot without any achievements of his own to back up his claims!

‘Funkmaster’ believes Nurmagomedov needs to stop “riding the coattails of your family”

Aljamain Sterling has made his opinion clear: talent aside, Umar Nurmagomedov still has dues to pay. A former bantamweight champion himself, ‘Funkmaster’ has a good idea of what the road to the top looks like. And in a recent appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani’ show, he put the Dagestani contender on blast for being given an elevator to the top of the 135 lbs. division.

Sterling stated, “I think Umar is a great guy, but facts are the facts. I don’t care what your cousin has done. That does not have any bearing on what you have done for the sport. You’ve got to cut your teeth in this game, not riding the coattails of your family’s merit.”

Reflecting on his own values, Sterling explained he’d teach his future children to, “…make sure they’re not riding off the coattails of what I do or have done in my life. I want to make sure they’re out there, they’re being go-getters.” His words were a subtle jab at Nurmagomedov, suggesting the young contender’s rise might be propelled more by his last name than his fists.

Merab Dvalishvili, Sterling’s training partner and the reigning bantamweight champion, shares a similar sentiment. Dvalishvili had to claw his way to the top, stringing together 10 consecutive wins before dethroning Sean O’Malley at UFC 306.  While the ‘Young Eagle’s undefeated record and undeniable skills speak volumes, critics like Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling argue that the weight of his family name has lifted him further than his fists alone.

With Yan preparing to battle Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau with his eyes on the bantamweight title and Sterling emphasizing the grind it takes to reach the top, the question lingers, has Umar Nurmagomedov truly earned his seat at the table, or is he simply dining on his family’s legacy? Let us know what you think in the comments below!