UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov thinks it isn’t hard to see who could be next for Umar Nurmagomedov.
Umar recently competed on the UFC 324 card. He defeated former UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Despite the victory, Umar expressed frustration with the lack of activity from his opponent.
Speaking to MMA Arena, Khabib said Umar’s next opponent will depend on who gets the next crack at Petr Yan’s UFC Bantamweight Championship (via MMAJunkie).
“It was very important for us to become this top four: O’Malley, Merab, Yan, and Umar,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Arena (h/t Red Corner MMA). “It was very important to make it clear there are only four guys on top right now and the UFC knows this. If Yan is going to fight against Merab, Umar will fight against Sean O’Malley. If they choose O’Malley, Umar is going to fight Merab.”
UFC has yet to reveal who is next for a shot at the 135-pound gold. Merab Dvalishvili is a popular choice among fans given the memorable run he had with the championship. Sean O’Malley has said that if UFC books the title rematch, then he will wait for the winner.
Some are skeptical of O’Malley being able to wait out another title fight. That’s why Khabib mentioned the possibility of “Suga” facing Umar. It would be a fresh matchup in the bantamweight division and one that could determine a No. 1 contender.
Umar has just one pro MMA loss in his fighting career. The defeat was against Dvalishvili back in Jan. 2025. Umar was competitive in the fight, but he ultimately dropped a unanimous decision and has been fighting his way back to title contention since. Just how soon Umar can get another title opportunity remains to be seen.
Who do you think Umar Nurmagomedov will ultimately face next? Tell us in the comment section below.