Umar Nurmagomedov
Bantamweight · Russia · UFC
Dagestani wrestling and sambo pressure combined with long-range striking off a reach advantage.
Back-take into the rear-naked choke — 7 of his 20 wins are submissions.
Record & stats
| Division | Bantamweight |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | UFC |
| Nationality | Russia |
| Born | Republic of Dagestan, Russia |
| Team | Eagles MMA / American Kickboxing Academy |
| Pro debut | 2016 |
| Height | 5'8" (173cm)0′2″ |
| Reach | 69in (175cm)2′3″ |
| Age | 30 |
| KO rate | 10% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
45% Finish rate- 2 KO/TKO · 10%
- 7 Submission · 35%
- 11 Decision · 55%
Titles & honors
- 2016 WMMAA World Championship, bantamweight (amateur)
- 2015 World Combat Sambo Championship, 62 kg
Biography
Umar Nurmagomedov is a Russian mixed martial artist with a 20-1 record as of August 20, 2026, ranked No. 3 in the UFC bantamweight division. His only loss came in a January 2025 title challenge. On August 29, 2026 he headlines UFC Shanghai against No. 6 Song Yadong over five rounds.
Born January 3, 1996 in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, the 30-year-old stands 5'8" (173 cm) with a 69-inch (175 cm) reach. He trains out of Eagles MMA and the American Kickboxing Academy under Javier Mendez and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is his cousin; his younger brother Usman Nurmagomedov is a former Bellator and current PFL champion. Before turning to MMA he built a grappling résumé, winning the 2015 World Combat Sambo Championship at 62 kg and the 2016 WMMAA World Championship at bantamweight.
Style
A Dagestani wrestling-and-sambo base layered with long-range striking off a reach advantage. His 20 wins break down as 2 by knockout, 7 by submission and 11 by decision, with most of the finishes coming via rear-naked choke. UFC records list five first-round finishes.
Career
Nurmagomedov turned professional in 2016 and debuted in the Octagon on January 20, 2021, taking a second-round technical submission over Sergey Morozov. He stayed unbeaten through Brian Kelleher (first-round submission), Nate Maness (decision) and Raoni Barcelos (first-round knockout). On August 3, 2024 he outpointed Cory Sandhagen over five rounds to earn a title shot.
That shot came at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025, where champion Merab Dvalishvili took a unanimous decision over five rounds — the first defeat of Nurmagomedov's career. He has won twice since: a decision over Mario Bautista at UFC 321 on October 25, 2025, and a unanimous decision over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026, a bout contested at a 138.5-pound catchweight after Figueiredo missed weight.
UFC Shanghai (August 29, 2026)
He headlines UFC Shanghai opposite Song Yadong. The two share a common opponent in Figueiredo: Nurmagomedov beat him on the cards, while Song submitted him with a second-round guillotine. This page will be updated once the result is official.
Sources: UFC.com athlete and rankings pages, Wikipedia. All figures as of August 20, 2026.
Fight history
- WDeiveson FigueiredoW UD 3
- WMario BautistaW UD 3
- LMerab DvalishviliL UD 5
- WCory SandhagenW UD 5
- WBekzat AlmakhanW UD 3
- WRaoni BarcelosW KO R1 4:40
FAQ
- What is Umar Nurmagomedov's record?
- He is 20-1 as of August 20, 2026 — 2 knockouts, 7 submissions and 11 decisions. His only loss was to Merab Dvalishvili in January 2025.
- Is Umar Nurmagomedov related to Khabib?
- Yes. Khabib Nurmagomedov is his cousin, and his younger brother Usman Nurmagomedov is a former Bellator and current PFL champion.
- Who does Umar Nurmagomedov fight next?
- He headlines UFC Shanghai against Song Yadong on August 29, 2026, in a five-round bantamweight main event.
- Has Umar Nurmagomedov ever held a UFC title?
- No. He challenged champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 in January 2025 and lost a unanimous decision.