Javier Mendez, the head coach of UFC bantamweight star Umar Nurmagomedov, says that a “technical error” led to his KO loss at UFC Shanghai.
In one of the biggest upsets of the year in combat sports, Song Yadong brutally knocked out Nurmagomedov as a heavy underdog in the second round of their main event fight at UFC Shanghai.
It was a shocking loss, and one that happened due to what Nurmagomedov’s coach believes was a “technical error” on the part of his fighter.
Javier Mendez Says Umar Nurmagomedov Made ‘Technical Error’
Speaking to Submission Radio following UFC Shanghai, Nurmagomedov’s coach at American Top Team, Mendez, said that Nurmagomedov made a “technical error” against Song that led to him getting folded.
“In my heart, I believe 100% that Umar can become champion. But unfortunately, in the first fight with Merab, Merab pulled it off by being great at what he does. And in this one here, Umar got hit with the right shot in the right spot. He made a technical mistake,” Mendez said.
“In my heart, I believe 100% that Umar can become champion. But unfortunately, in the first fight with Merab, Merab pulled it off by being great at what he does. And in this one here,
Can Umar Nurmagomedov Rebound From Loss?
This loss to Song was absolutely shocking and devastating, so the natural question left to wonder is: can Nurmagomedov rebound from it?
The first time Nurmagomedov lost in his MMA career was last year, when he was defeated by Merab Dvalishvili in a failed bid to become the UFC bantamweight champion.
Following that defeat, he ripped off a win streak and was closing back in on title contention before this loss to Song.
Given his high-level wrestling skills, Nurmagomedov has the skill set necessary to go far in this weight class. But it is also worth mentioning that he has been knocked down more times than his rivals in the weight class.
In his UFC career, Nurmagomedov has been dropped three times, which is more than Song, Dvalishvili, Petr Yan, and Sean O’Malley combined.
That’s kind of a crazy stat, and it makes you wonder why it is happening.
Clearly, he needs to work on his head strike defense. If he can do that, then perhaps he can become a UFC champion.
Umar Nurmagomedov Lost due to ‘Technical Error,’ Says Coach