After Khabib’s departure, two representatives of the Nurmagomedov family remain in the UFC: Umar, 27 (16 wins, 0 losses) and Abubakar, 33 (17-3-1). Abubakar and Umar are Khabib’s first cousins (and cousins to each other, their fathers are cousins to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. – ). At the moment, Umar is confidently heading for the title in the category up to 61.2 kg. Abubakar is a bit slower in heading to the top in the up to 77kg category. Abubakar’s most publicized fight so far happened on the other side of the cage: when Islam Makhachev celebrated the championship in Abu Dhabi at UFC 280, Abubakar was talking about something with Khamzat Chimaev , and now their relationship is sealed by the upper management of the Akhmat club. In general, one should not even question one and the other about a possible duel.
Therefore, Abubakar at UFC Vegas 74 will fight Eliseu dos Santos (Brazil, 23-7 in MMA). In the UFC, dos Santos defeated Alexei Kunchenko and Omari Akhmedov and lost to Muslim Salikhov in a tough fight.
Right now I’m going to training, which starts at 11:30. Fight, paws. I’m going to beat a pear a bit, I’m going to move, I’m going to sweat,” Abubakar said from the car.
Ramadan ended on April 20. Did you get heavier or lighter after that?
– When I am in shape, I have a weight of 85-86 kilograms. About so and remained. During Ramadan, he continued to train: he did training before Iftar (the first evening meal. – ) and late at night – wrestling, running, throwing, worked on his legs, did sparring, worked on a pear, sometimes ran.
– Most of the fighters in Khabib’s team are lightweights (up to 70 kg) and you compete in the welterweight category (up to 77 kg). Who trains with you?
– In Dagestan, the sparring partners are Murad Ramazanov of One FC, as well as the young generation: Amru Magomedov, Murad Bilarov. When I weigh less than 88-90 kilograms, I train with Murad Ramazanov, when a little less – with Amru. There are also guys in America that I train with. Basically just my weight.
– We can see that Cain Velasquez has returned to the room (former UFC champion, convicted of attempted murder of a man accused of pedophilia. – “”). Can you work together?
– No wrestling. He’s a heavyweight, how can I fight him? But some moments worked. For example, arm wrestling and so on. We have conditioning training. 30 minutes of exercise bike and various exercises, and in between they were pushing and fighting on their hands. But I won’t be able to fight full-fledged – he’s big. Velasquez weighs between 110 and 115 kilograms.
– Khabib appears in the photo in your camp, what did he tell you about the opponent, what should you pay attention to?
– He didn’t say anything special. As usual, you come in and work. You are ready, you just have to go out and leave everything in the cage for three rounds.
Will he be around during the fight?
– He won’t be around. He flew to the United States on business, went to camp and stayed here for a while. Imamshafi Aliyev, Umar Nurmagomedov and Javier Mendez will be around.
And the tournament?
– No. He said he had already left.
– Can Hasbeek come to your fight?
– We text each other sometimes. Now, that probably won’t be the case.
– Umar started preparing for Corey Sandhagen?
Yes, preparations have begun. He will train in San Jose and only return to Dagestan after the fight. He has drummers in the gym, there are a few people at AKA (a gym in San Jose, where Khabib’s team has been training since 2012. – “”)
– I found the old fight of Magomed Ismailov in combat sambo with Abdurakhman Nurmagomedov. Is this your big brother?
– Yes, he is my older brother, dear.
– Abdurakhman performed at Fight Nights. Why did he end his career?
He had elbow surgery. The doctor made a mistake and touched the tendon, after which the left arm atrophied. He is no longer successful (statistics of Abdurakhman Nurmagomedov in MMA – 8-1, achieved from 2009 to 2013. – “”).
– What is he doing?
– Family man. Home-work-home.
– Abdurakhman in this fight with Ismailov was assisted by Khabib. Why not you ?
“I had to prepare for my fights. Uncle Abdulmanap and Khabib were there – they were second, and I was in the warm-up room. Khabib said: “Warm up and tune in, you’ll have your own fight.”
– Did you know Ismailov then?
– No. If I’m not mistaken, I had the first or second Russian combat sambo championship. I just arrived.
You and Khabib are a little over a year apart in age. In the book, he writes that when he was four years old, he started training with his father. Did you start at the same club?
“Yes, but I was born in the nearby village of Goksuv, and he was born in Kirovaul. Khabib had a gym nearby – he woke up, washed up and went to work out. And I went there from third grade, it took 15 minutes to get there.
– What do you say to yourself before the fight, when you already have to go to the octagon?
– I trust in the Almighty, tune into the fight and go. You don’t have to remember anything anymore, you have to be inside the octagon. You don’t have to be here and your thoughts elsewhere.
will broadcast UFC Vegas 74 live on June 4 starting at 3:00 a.m. Moscow time on Match! Fighter” and matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru websites, the broadcast will start at 00:55.
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
