Usman Nurmagomedov is not focused on the extra attention towards him and his team ahead of Bellator 263.
Bellator lightweight contender Usman Nurmagomedov is still relatively young in his MMA career, but he’s already showing the poise of a veteran ahead of his big fight against Manny Muro at Bellator 263.
A younger cousin of former UFC lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman is undefeated in his professional career and is coming off of a dominant performance over Mike Hamel at Bellator 255. The Dagestani trains alongside fellow Bellator lightweight Islam Mamedov and UFC lightweight contender Islam Makhachev at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA.
Despite the extra media obligations and attention, Nurmagomedov seems completely unfazed ahead of his second Bellator fight.
“I’m still getting used to all the cameras, all the interviews, but everything’s fine,” Nurmagomedov said in his Bellator 263 pre-fight press conference. “It’s a big part of the game, so I have to get used to it. It’s even a little pressure but that’s fine.”
Usman Nurmagomedov is a Bellator title challenger on the rise
While Nurmagomedov is not in the official Bellator lightweight rankings just yet, another impressive performance could propel him one step closer to a title shot down the line. At 23 years old, he’s certainly a name for MMA fans to keep an eye on for years to come. Nurmagomedov could definitely fight for the Bellator lightweight title sooner rather than later.
Competing on arguably the biggest Bellator card of the year, Nurmagomedov will look to make a statement and continue his dominance in the cage. He’s a potential star in the making in one of MMA’s elite promotions.