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Usman Nurmagomedov has been hailed as the torchbearer for the next generation of great MMA fighters by none other than his legendary cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov. 'The Eagle' took part in a pre-fight promotional video ahead of his cousin's upcoming title defense at Bellator San Diego.
The former UFC lightweight champion did not mince words when sharing his thoughts on his cousin's skills and potential. Moreover, 'The Eagle' expressed pride in assuming the role of his cousin's coach, who he believes will stamp Bellator San Diego with an exceptional performance.
"Usman Nurmagomedov is the future of this sport. Usman is a young generation [fighter] from our gym. Him and me, we was trained by my father. Now, I train him, and we spend years and years together in gym, more than 15 years. He always was such a competitor. That's why he's still undefeated, that's why he's the Bellator lightweight champion. He defend his title, and next fight he will show, he will prove why he's one of the best in the world right now."
Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's praise for his cousin:
Usman is set to defend his Bellator lightweight championship against fellow streaking Russian mixed martial artist Alexandr Shabliy. It will mark the second title defense of the younger Nurmagomedov's career, who will look to extend his spotless run to 18-0 later this evening.
Moreover, he will be eager to wash away the stain of his recent PED-related controversy, which saw his unanimous decision win over Brent Primus get overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance found in a prescription drug.
Usman Nurmagomedov comes from a prestigious camp of fighters
Like most Nurmagomedovs, Usman Nurmagomedov was trained by the legendary Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov while also receiving coaching at the American Kickboxing Academy. Both have produced a litany of elite-level fighters, with AKA introducing the world to countless world champions.
Luke Rockhold, Daniel Cormier, Cain Velasquez, and, of course, Khabib Nurmagomedov have all held UFC gold. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev is the current UFC lightweight champion, while Usman reigns as the current Bellator lightweight champion.
It truly seems like it is only a matter of time before Usman's younger brother and fellow undefeated Dagestani, Umar Nurmagomedov, captures UFC bantamweight gold.
