UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov says that he is not deterred from reaching his goals despite getting knocked out at UFC Shanghai.
In one of the biggest upsets of the year in MMA, Nurmagomedov was brutally knocked out in the second round of his UFC Shanghai main event fight against Song, who picked up the biggest victory of his career on his home soil.
But despite the devastating loss, Nurmagomedov says the goal remains the same, and that is to become the UFC bantamweight champion of the world.
Umar Nurmagomedov Still Chasing Gold
Taking to his social media, Nurmagomedov made sure to let his fans know that he isn’t stopping now despite this setback to Song, and that the ultimate goal is still the same.
“It’s not over Until I win InshAllah,” Nurmagomedov wrote on his Instagram.
Who Will Umar Nurmagomedov Fight Next?
Given how brutal a KO loss he suffered against Song, it’s fair to assume that the Russian won’t be returning to the Octagon for the rest of the year, as he needs to heal up and recover following such a bad defeat.
When Nurmagomedov does return, however, look for him to once again fight one of the best fighters in the weight class, because regardless of what happened against Song, Nurmagomedov remains one of the very best fighters in the UFC at 135 lbs.
For his next fight, Nurmagomedov could potentially take on the winner of the upcoming UFC 333 co-main event title fight between UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili.
Another option could be Sean O’Malley, whom Nurmagomedov has not fought yet, despite both men being elite UFC bantamweights for the past several years.
The promotion could also potentially book Nurmagomedov against someone like Payton Talbott, a young fighter whom the MMA company has high hopes for. Talbott fights Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332 in October, and if he wins that fight, it would put him in a position to challenge one of the best fighters in the weight class, including Nurmagomedov.
We’ll see what’s next for the Russian, but don’t expect to see him back until 2027.
Umar Nurmagomedov Not Deterred by KO Loss at UFC Shanghai