Khabib Nurmagomedov took a jab at Deiveson Figueiredo, claiming that his cousin Umar’s win at UFC 324 felt less challenging than a typical sparring session.
It appears that Umar Nurmagomedov’s team anticipated a tougher contest during the event. The Dagestani fighter is firmly on the path to securing another opportunity for the bantamweight title after achieving his second consecutive victory since narrowly missing out on the championship.
Following a defeat against then-champion Merab Dvalishvili in January 2025, Umar made a strong comeback in Abu Dhabi last October, halting Mario Bautista’s rise in the rankings. Then, on January 24, it was Deiveson Figueiredo's turn to face Umar and, unfortunately for him, he struggled to even present a substantial challenge.
LATEST NEWS: Dana White confirms that the controversial winner of UFC 324 will be granted the next title shot.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov expressed his surprise after watching his cousin dominate the fight with minimal effort during UFC 324. Figueiredo, known as 'Deus da Guerra,' is a former two-time flyweight champion who has been on a quest for a second title since moving up in weight class in 2023. Unfortunately, he has not yet managed to clinch a championship opportunity at bantamweight, falling further behind the contenders following a series of setbacks.
After failing to make weight for UFC 324, Figueiredo delivered a rather unimpressive performance on fight night. Umar showcased his skills with a comprehensive victory over Figueiredo, prompting Khabib, a prominent figure in his corner, to emphasize just how straightforward the encounter was for his cousin, who now holds an impressive record of 20 wins and just one loss.
"We’re basically leaving the arena after our win," Khabib remarked while interviewing Umar post-fight. "Doesn’t it look like he just finished sparring?
Even practice bouts were more challenging," he added with a grin.
Umar echoed this sentiment during his post-fight press conference, expressing confusion over why his Brazilian opponent chose not to engage more aggressively in the Octagon.
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Khabib also took to social media to commend his cousin on his successful performance at UFC 324. Despite his recent victories, Umar does not anticipate a title shot from the UFC just yet, but this seems to be of little concern to him or Khabib.
In his congratulatory message, the legendary lightweight fighter stated that they are prepared to accept any opportunity the UFC offers, aiming for a return to the Octagon in May or June.
"Congratulations brother on another victory @umar_nurmagomedov," Khabib posted on Instagram. "You have fought twice in the span of three months.
This is just the beginning, and you’re only getting started. Whether they give you a title shot or not doesn’t matter to us; we are ready to fight in May or June."
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