Umar Magomednabiyevich Nurmagomedov, born on January 3, 1996, in Kizilyurt, Dagestan, Russia, is a prominent professional mixed martial artist competing in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
He is part of the renowned Nurmagomedov family, known for producing elite MMA fighters, and is a cousin of the legendary former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Umar began training in freestyle wrestling as a child alongside his younger brother, later transitioning to Thai boxing and combat sambo.
Under the guidance of his uncle, the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Umar honed his skills at the Eagles MMA camp in Makhachkala, Dagestan.
Siblings
Umar has one sibling, his younger brother Usman Nurmagomedov, born on April 17, 1998, in Kizilyurt, Dagestan.
Usman is also a professional mixed martial artist and currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League, having previously been the Bellator Lightweight World Champion.
Like Umar, Usman began his martial arts journey at a young age, starting with freestyle wrestling at eight years old and later following his brother into Thai boxing.
The brothers trained together under their uncle Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov at the Eagles MMA camp, where they developed their skills alongside other notable fighters, including their cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov and teammate Islam Makhachev.
Career
Nurmagomedov’s professional MMA career began in 2016 with a debut victory via guillotine choke against Rishat Kharisov at Fight Nights Global 57 in Moscow.
His early career saw him compete in regional Russian promotions like Fight Nights Global and Samara MMA Federation, later Eagle FC, where he claimed the FMMAS Bantamweight Championship in 2018 against Fatkhidin Sobirov.
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Umar also fought in the Professional Fighters League, securing unanimous decision wins against notable opponents like Saidyokub Kakhramonov and Sidemar Honorio.
His dominance in these promotions, characterized by a blend of wrestling, sambo, and striking, led to a UFC contract.
Umar’s UFC debut, initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the passing of his uncle Abdulmanap, occurred on January 20, 2021, at UFC on ESPN Chiesa versus Magny, where he submitted Sergey Morozov via rear-naked choke.
Subsequent UFC victories included a first-round submission of Brian Kelleher at UFC 272, unanimous decisions over Nate Maness and Cory Sandhagen, and a knockout of Raoni Barcelos at UFC Fight Night Strickland versus Imavov, earning him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Umar’s first professional loss came at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025, against bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a unanimous decision, though Umar disputed the result, citing a broken hand.
With an eighteen and one record, Umar remains a top contender, known for his grappling prowess and evolving striking game, mentored by his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Accolades
At nineteen, Nurmagomedov became a combat sambo world champion in the minus sixty-two kilogram division at the World Combat Sambo Federation World Championships in 2015.
The following year, he captured the bantamweight title at the World Mixed Martial Arts Association World Championship in amateur MMA.
In his professional career, Umar won the FMMAS Bantamweight Championship in 2018 at Samara MMA Federation’s Battle on Volga 4, defending the title multiple times under the rebranded Gorilla Fighting Championship and Eagle FC banners, including stoppage wins over Taras Gryckiv and Brian Gonzalez.
His UFC tenure includes a Performance of the Night bonus for his knockout victory over Raoni Barcelos in January 2023.
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