{"id":898600,"date":"2026-09-17T01:44:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T01:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/898600\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T01:44:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T01:44:09","slug":"abubakar-nurmagomedov-returning-to-competition-after-hiatus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/898600\/","title":{"rendered":"Abubakar Nurmagomedov returning to competition after hiatus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abubakar Nurmagomedov took more than three years out of the fighting cage after his UFC contract had expired. He is set to return in a bout against David Martinez<\/p>\n

The Nurmagomedov cousin is all set to be back in the cage in November in a high-stakes fight against the \u2018Doctor\u2019 David Martinez.<\/p>\n

Abubakar Nurmagomedov\u2019s First Fight After Leaving UFC Set for November<\/p>\n

After three years of complete disappearance from the cage, former UFC <\/a>welterweight fighter Abubakar Nurmagomedov <\/a>is set to fight again. The Russian fighter will step back into the MMA cage on Nov. 14 against David Martinez in PFL Dubai.<\/p>\n

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The bout is expected to be in the welterweight division, the division in which the Dagestani has fought throughout his career.<\/p>\n

Abubakar Nurmagomedov, first cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, now 36, brings a professional record of 17-4-1 into the bout and holds a 1-1-1 mark within PFL <\/a>competition. However, long before his debut in the UFC, he had been well known among MMA fans due to his involvement in the post-fight brawl in UFC 229.<\/p>\n

Because of his active participation in the melee, Abubakar\u00a0received a one-year suspension and a $25,000 fine from the Nevada Athletic Commission.<\/p>\n

However, he did land his contract with UFC the following year and won two consecutive fights before his final loss against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via split decision.<\/p>\n

After\u00a0being released\u00a0from UFC in February 2024, Abubakar spent over two years\u00a0trying to get\u00a0back into\u00a0the sport.\u00a0He signed to\u00a0return\u00a0to MMA\u00a0under the Global Fight League banner, but\u00a0that promotion folded before\u00a0putting on a single\u00a0event. That makes this PFL event his first and extremely crucial fight after the hiatus.<\/p>\n

However, this fight is not just important to Nurmagomedov. David Martinez, too, has his own motivation to give this bout his all.<\/p>\n

David Martinez Battling Abubakar Nurmagomedov\u00a0<\/p>\n

David Martinez is the upcoming opponent of Abubakar Nurmagomedov in the PFL cage for his comeback fight. The Black Spartan has 1-0 in PFL thus far and carries a professional record of 15-1-0 overall.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old Mexican talent will be fighting in Welterweight instead of Bantamweight, which is the division he is accustomed to. This does give Nurmagomedov a bit of leverage. However, the Black Spartan\u2019s recent win against Dan Ige in UFC Noche has highlighted his speed and agility. \u00a0For him, this fight represents a career-defining opportunity to secure a win over a seasoned UFC veteran and potentially earn a more consistent spot on the roster.<\/p>\n

Although neither Martinez nor Nurmagomedov has made any major public statements regarding this yet, this upcoming bout will be interesting to watch, to say the least.<\/p>\n

This fight holds extremely high stakes for both fighters, with the question of resurrecting one\u2019s career and building on an unbeaten start in the promotion for the other.<\/p>\n