Khabib’s cousin Umar relishing opportunity to make UFC debut in Abu Dhabi - GulfToday

Khabib’s cousin Umar relishing opportunity to make UFC debut in Abu Dhabi

  • 19 Jan 2021
Umar-Nurmagomedov-Abu-Dhabi-750

Umar Nurmagomedov (left) will face Sergey Morozov in a bantamweight clash on Wednesday.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Umar Nurmagomedov, cousin of the legendary UFC reigning lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, says fighting in Abu Dhabi will be like fighting ‘in our house’, as he prepares to make his UFC debut at the Etihad Arena on Wednesday night.

Umar faces Kazakhstan’s Sergey Morozov in a bantamweight clash on an action-packed 14-fight card at UFC FIGHT NIGHT: CHIESA vs. MAGNY, the second event of the weeklong UFC Fight Island Triple Header.

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 “This (Abu Dhabi) is almost like our house. We feel the same here how we feel in Dagestan. We are always feeling very comfortable here. Yes, I like this place. I like that UFC is coming here and I will fight here 100 times if I can,” said the 24-year-old.

Coming into the clash against Morozov with a 12-0 professional record, Umar is unfazed by the pressure associated with the Nurmagomedov name and insists he is not thinking of continuing that legacy.

 “It is too early to talk about legacy. This is just my debut,” he said. When I win 10 times, I am going to talk about legacy. I am very excited, I think I am ready, I am at 100 per cent. I am going to show this. I will go for the win and we will see.

“I think I am a new generation fighter. I can fight, wrestle, grapple, and I am going to show this,” he added.

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