Daniel Cormier has an interesting choice for best fighter in the Nurmagomedov family.
Former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov set the bar high with his dominance in the octagon. His cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, emerged as No. 1 contender by defeating Cory Sandhagen in Saturday’s UFC on ABC 7 headliner in Abu Dhabi.
However, Cormier thinks it’s Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (17-0) who has the potential to surpass both Khabib and Umar as the best fighter in the family.
“Isn’t it crazy to watch the success that these guys have had,” Cormier said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” alongside Chael Sonnen. “Not only just Khabib, but to have Umar and Usman – Usman may be the best out of all of them. This dude is amazing in terms of fighting. He fights in Bellator, now the PFL.”
Usman Nurmagomedov is also unbeaten in his MMA career, including title wins over Patricky Freire and Benson Henderson. He defended his title against Brent Primus this past October, but the result was overturned to a no contest after Nurmagomedov tested positive for an undisclosed banned substance. He was not stripped of his title after providing evidence that the banned substance entered his body through medications prescribed to him by a doctor.
Nurmagomedov will defend his lightweight title Sept. 7 vs. Alexandr Shabliy at Bellator Champions Series: San Diego at Pechanga Arena.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: San Diego.
