Khabib Nurmagomedov retired at 32 years old after three successful defenses of his UFC lightweight title: bowing out from the sport with a perfect professional record of 29-0.
Current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has the opportunity to break that title defense record at UFC 311; however, there’s another surging contender who many believe will be the one to surpass The Eagle’s 29-0 tenure.
The only fighter capable of surpassing Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record
Veteran MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz has seen his fair share of UFC champions come and go; having most notably helped guide Khabib Nurmagomedov through the industry en route to UFC lightweight gold and glory.
However, Abdelaziz believes that if there’s anyone who has the skills (and the time left in the sport) to compete with, and even surpass, Khabib – it’s his younger cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov.
“There’s no doubt in my mind Umar will be a champion at 135 pounds, and I believe Umar is going to be a champion for a long time,” he explained in conversation with MMA Junkie.
“I think Umar is the only guy who can really challenge Khabib’s record. He can retire undefeated, 29-0, 30-0. Of course, he has a tough opponent, but I believe Umar is better everywhere.
“Umar is one of the best fighters I’ve ever seen… He is so good everywhere, and he’s so humble and so nice.”
Umar Nurmagomedov is currently 18-0 as a professional and at just 29 years of age, has more than enough time to hit that perfect-30 mark – especially if he claims the bantamweight championship on January 18.
Skills and timeline aside, Abdelaziz argued that the young Nurmagomedov could surpass his elder statesman simply because of his desire to compete as often as possible.
“He was offered Merab in Madison Square Garden, and he said yes. He was offered Merab in December, and he said yes. He was offered Dec. 14, Song Yadong, he said yes. He was offered in January Song Yadong and he said yes.
“After that, the UFC came and said, ‘Merab, Jan. 18,’ and he said yes. He’s been saying yes to everybody. He was willing to fight ranked, not ranked – he just wanted to fight.”
Nurmagomedov is set to face Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 311, and whilst Abdelaziz is expecting a sizable challenge, he only sees that fight going one way.
“Merab is tough. He’s a very tough guy. It’s a very tough fight. He’s on a 10-fight winning streak for a reason, but I believe Umar is going to beat him everywhere.”
Former champ also believes Umar beats Merab ‘everywhere’ at UFC 311
That last line from Abdelaziz, that Umar can beat Merab ‘everywhere’, is rather poignant as he’s not the first to suggest that if Dvalishvili is to retain his title, he must achieve the near-impossible at UFC 311.
Earlier this week, former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold suggested the exact same thing – that the young Nurmagomedov will beat Dvalishvili ‘everywhere’ on January 18.
“Umar is the next generation where he’s so fluid and so creative,” hailed Rockhold via the JAXXON Podcast, before noting that “this is [still] a tough matchup,” as Dvalishvili is “a tricky, tough, hard-nosed dude” to figure out.
“I think that’s where Umar can win. Umar can beat him everywhere, really… He can outstrike him, and then Merab can shoot in; Umar can counter him and get to his back – I’m telling you, he’s better than him everywhere, really.
“He’s going to outstrike Merab, and then Merab’s going to get frustrated, so he shoots in, Umar’s going to counter him, he’s probably getting to a dominant position and then they go back up [to the feet] – I don’t see that fight going any other way.”
UFC 311: Makhachev vs Tsarukyan, supported by Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov, goes down live from LA on Saturday, January 18.