Top Lightweight Contender Not Part of UFC, According to Coach Islam Makhachov
Score a jackpot!
Legendary trainer Javier Mendes, who's coached giants like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Cain Velasquez, Luke Rockhold, and Islam Makhachev (who's eyeing both weight classes), is touting an underdog for the upcoming empty belt competition at UFC 317. The talks revolve around Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, but Mendes believes there's someone better – Usman Nurmagomedov. He mentioned this in the Red Hawk Recap podcast, stating:
"I reckon he's the second best lightweight in the world."
It's worth noting that Usman is not just any up-and-comer; he's the blood sibling of Umar Nurmagomedov and the cousin of Khabib. Standing at 27, he's the undefeated Bellator Lightweight Champion, with a record of 19 wins and absolutely zero defeats.
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[1] usman-nurmagomedov-bellator-lightweight-champion (Bellator Lightweight Championship)[2] usman-nurmagomedov-professional-mma-record (Professional MMA record)[4] usman-nurmagomedov-standout-in-bellator-lightweight-division (Standout fighter in Bellator's lightweight division)
Bookmakers might see a potential upset in the sports of mixed-martial-arts, as Usman Nurmagomedov, the undefeated Bellator Lightweight Champion, is considered the second best lightweight in the world by legendary trainer Javier Mendes. Despite being merely 27 years old, Nurmagomedov's standout performance in Bellator's lightweight division and his professional MMA record of 19 wins and zero defeats, position him as a contender for the upcoming empty belt competition at UFC 317.
