Umar Nurmagomedov is set to have one of the greatest lightweight champions, Khabib Nurmagomedov, in his corner. Khabib has already been preparing Umar for his title fight against Merab Dvalishvili and is taking on a coaching role. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is also exploring the best options for his corner. ‘The Machine’ is reportedly planning to approach Ilia Topuria to join his corner.
‘The Machine’ is preparing to defend his bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili is considering enlisting featherweight champion Ilia Topuria for support to strengthen his corner. In an interview with TNT Sports following the UFC 311 press conference, Dvalishvili was asked about the possibility of having Topuria by his side on fight day. The bantamweight champion said,
“Ray Longo will fly out from New York and Aljamain Sterling – my best friend and training partner – will be with me. I’m going to ask Ilia if he has time and go from there.”
👀🤝Merab Dvalishvili plans to ask Ilia Topuria to corner him for his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov at #UFC311
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 9, 2025
🎥 @ufcontnt ▫️ pic.twitter.com/T9KATUQ1oY
Dvalishvili is currently training at Syndicate MMA, where he lives and trains under coach John Wood’s guidance. His best friend and training partner, Aljamain Sterling, is confirmed to be in his corner. While featherweight champion Topuria has yet to respond to Dvalishvili’s request, his involvement would undoubtedly add extra intensity to the fight if he decides to join.
Ali Abdelaziz Says Umar Nurmagomedov Can Outshine Khabib Nurmagomedov
Ali Abdelaziz is confident that Umar Nurmagomedov has the potential to surpass Khabib’s legacy and retire undefeated. At 18-0, Umar is gearing up to face bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, and his manager believes he’s the one to challenge Khabib’s flawless record. Abdelaziz sees Umar as a future long-term champion and, with his all-around skills, believes he can retire with a perfect 29-0 or 30-0 record.
“There’s no doubt in my mind Umar will be a champion at 135 pounds, and I believe Umar is going to be a champion for a long time. I think Umar is the only guy who can really challenge Khabib’s record. He can retire undefeated, 29-0, 30-0. Of course, he has a tough opponent, but I believe Umar is better everywhere.”
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🦅 Umar Nurmagomedov is the only fighter who can surpass Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record and possibly retire 30-0, according to Ali Abdelaziz:
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 5, 2025
“There’s no doubt in my mind Umar will be a champion at 135 pounds, and I believe Umar is going to be a champion for a long… pic.twitter.com/Qt4W165vED
Umar needs 11 more wins to match Khabib’s 29-0 record and 12 to surpass it. With Khabib personally training him, Umar is getting better every day. Only time will tell if he can achieve it.
Also Read: Merab Dvalishvili Feels Like Conor McGregor Or Jon Jones As He Addresses UFC Drama
