Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has lofty ambitions for his legacy as a mixed martial artist.
Nurmagomedov is one of the most promising up-and-comers in the entire sport at just 26 years old and boasting an undefeated 17-0 (1 NC) record. Nurmagomedov, the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib and younger brother of UFC bantamweight contender Umar, is scheduled to defend his title for the third time against Alexander Shabliy in the main event of Bellator Champions Series San Diego on Saturday night.
Speaking with theScore ahead of the fight, Nurmagomedov said he wants to be remembered as an all-time great when his career is over.
“When I was young, I always wanted to go be a champion,” Nurmagomedov said. “Now I’m champion. But now I want to be best of all time.”
Nurmagomedov added that to achieve GOAT status, he needs to “beat everybody” – and so far so good. The Dagestani has already accomplished a lot in seven years as a pro fighter: He’s beaten the likes of former UFC champion Benson Henderson and ex-Bellator champ Patricky “Pitbull” Freire, he’s headlined Bellator 300, and he worked his way to the final of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix last year before the promotion was acquired by the PFL.
Many also consider Nurmagomedov one of, if not the top pound-for-pound fighter under the PFL/Bellator banner. However, Nurmagomedov doesn’t worry about what outsiders think – he knows exactly where he stands.
“They can put me No. 1 or No. 10 or No. 9. I don’t care,” Nurmagomedov said. “For myself, I know I am the best. … People’s opinions change every day. That’s why (I don’t care).”
Nurmagomedov trains with some of the world’s best fighters, with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev chief among them. Nurmagomedov said he learns “everything” from Makhachev and that they “push each other so hard” in the gym.
“Striking, grappling, even wrestling,” Nurmagomedov said when asked about how Makhachev helps him. “Every fight when I watch Islam, he goes up. Look what happened in his last fight, in the last round with Dustin Poirier. Just look at the takedown, how he made it, and how he choked Dustin. Islam has very big experience, and he shares all the time in the gym with us his experience.”
Nurmagomedov’s well-rounded style and elite grappling would make him a tough matchup for several lightweight contenders in the UFC. And many people would argue it’s only a matter of time before he joins Makhachev and Umar to continue the Nurmagomedov legacy in the world’s biggest MMA promotion.
But for now, Nurmagomedov is focused on his Bellator career and the task at hand.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Nurmagomedov said. “That’s why I don’t like to talk about the future. We’re living now. Let’s live in now.”
