Umar Nurmagomedov
Active 2020–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 88.0
Scouting report
Umar Nurmagomedov is a cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, trained with their uncle Abdulmanap at Eagles MMA in Makhachkala, and works with Javier Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy. He was a combat sambo world champion at 62 kg in 2015 and the WMMAA amateur bantamweight world champion in 2016. He was 11-0 when he joined the UFC and won his first six fights there. He lost a UFC 311 title fight to Merab Dvalishvili on January 18, 2025 in a Fight of the Night.
Peak ratings
By edition
Umar Nurmagomedov: a Dagestani sambo champion who reached a title fight
He began in freestyle wrestling as a child, moved to Makhachkala, and took up Thai boxing. Before the UFC he won the FMMAS bantamweight title and defended it three times, and he appeared in the PFL in 2018 and 2019. In the UFC he debuted against Sergey Morozov in January 2021, then beat Brian Kelleher, Nate Maness, Raoni Barcelos, Bekzat Almakhan and Cory Sandhagen. The Sandhagen win on August 3, 2024 was a title eliminator.
Nurmagomedov, one rating at a time
Boxing. 86. Raoni Barcelos was knocked out in round one at UFC Fight Night 217 in January 2023, a Performance of the Night.
Kickboxing. 88. Song Yadong knocked him out with a punch in round two in Shanghai on August 29, 2026.
Wrestling. 95, his best. His base is wrestling and combat sambo.
BJJ. 90. Brian Kelleher was submitted with a rear-naked choke in round one at UFC 272 in March 2022.
Strength. 76. Almakhan clipped him early in their March 2024 fight and he recovered to win a unanimous decision.
Durability. 86. He went all five rounds with Dvalishvili at UFC 311.
Cardio. 92. Sandhagen lost a unanimous decision at UFC on ABC 7 in August 2024, and Mario Bautista lost one at UFC 321 in October 2025.
Fight IQ. 91. Deiveson Figueiredo lost a unanimous decision to him at UFC 324 in January 2026, at a 138.5 pound catchweight.
Wrestling at 95 and a run of decisions
Maness, Almakhan, Sandhagen, Bautista and Figueiredo all went the distance with him. He also won Performance of the Night for Morozov in January 2021 and Barcelos in January 2023. His 2025 title fight was rated among the year's best, and MMA Mania ranked it third for 2025. For a draft, he gives control with a finish available.
Strength at 76 and the fights that did not happen
He pulled out of UFC 254 in October 2020 with an illness and of a July 2023 headliner with Sandhagen with a shoulder injury. There was a gap of about 14 months between Barcelos and Almakhan. Dvalishvili beat him on the cards in 2025 and Song knocked him out in 2026. A heavier hitter in the strength slot covers the gap.
Keep exploring
Closest bantamweight profiles to Umar Nurmagomedov, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- TJ Dillashawbest cardio 94 · weakest strength 76
- Renan Baraobest kickboxing 90 · weakest strength 76
- Aljamain Sterlingbest bjj 95 · weakest strength 76
- Henry Cejudobest wrestling 97 · weakest strength 76
- Bantamweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Umar Nurmagomedov's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Umar Nurmagomedov into your build
Umar Nurmagomedov enters the pool on any spin landing on bantamweight between 2023 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Umar Nurmagomedov is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Umar Nurmagomedov's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.