How UFC Star Umar Nurmagomedov Is Inspired By Manny Pacquiao

Umar Nurmagomedov has utilized the wise words of Manny Pacquiao to give him a certain groundedness and focus in his own career. Nurmagomedov invoked the name of boxing’s only eight-division world champion at the pre-fight media day for UFC 321 as the former bantamweight title challenger steps into the cage.

Nurmagomedov aims to bounce back from that bid for 135-pound gold that saw him take his first professional MMA loss in January to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311. The Dagestan native will take on Mario Bautista in a meaningful matchup between ranked bantamweight contenders in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Taking part in the pre-fight media day heading into his clash at UFC 321 with Bautista on Saturday and choosing to reference a lesson he learned from ‘Pac-Man’, with video footage provided by MMA Junkie, Nurmagomedov said,

“Manny Pacquiao once was said that any fighter that talks down will eventually be the one who be brought down in in a ring. So I think that those words mean something.”

Umar Nurmagomedov may be able to get a sophomore title shot with a strong showing here, per dana white

Umar Nurmagomedov may be able to get himself right back into title contention talks with a strong showing this weekend per Dana White. This was expressed during a press conference heading into UFC 321 this weekend. Merab Dvalishvili looms tall at 135 pounds with his next defense taking place in a rematch against former foe Petr Yan at UFC 323 in December.

Nurmagomedov actually asked White himself at the presser if him versus Bautista was a contender fight to which Dana White said [via MMA Fighting],

“Could this fight be the contender fight? Go out there and put on a show on Saturday that makes people go, ‘Damn, one of these guys should be fighting for the title next.”

Nurmagomedov would retort that he was going to do that to which resulted in White saying ‘deal.’