Abubakar Nurmagomedov is set to return to the cage after a three year hiatus
Abubakar Nurmagomedov took more than three years out of the fighting cage after his UFC contract had expired. He is set to return in a bout against David Martinez
The Nurmagomedov cousin is all set to be back in the cage in November in a high-stakes fight against the ‘Doctor’ David Martinez.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov’s First Fight After Leaving UFC Set for November
After three years of complete disappearance from the cage, former UFC welterweight fighter Abubakar Nurmagomedov is set to fight again. The Russian fighter will step back into the MMA cage on Nov. 14 against David Martinez in PFL Dubai.
The bout is expected to be in the welterweight division, the division in which the Dagestani has fought throughout his career.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov, first cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, now 36, brings a professional record of 17-4-1 into the bout and holds a 1-1-1 mark within PFL competition. However, long before his debut in the UFC, he had been well known among MMA fans due to his involvement in the post-fight brawl in UFC 229.
Because of his active participation in the melee, Abubakar received a one-year suspension and a $25,000 fine from the Nevada Athletic Commission.
However, he did land his contract with UFC the following year and won two consecutive fights before his final loss against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via split decision.
After being released from UFC in February 2024, Abubakar spent over two years trying to get back into the sport. He signed to return to MMA under the Global Fight League banner, but that promotion folded before putting on a single event. That makes this PFL event his first and extremely crucial fight after the hiatus.
However, this fight is not just important to Nurmagomedov. David Martinez, too, has his own motivation to give this bout his all.
David Martinez Battling Abubakar Nurmagomedov
David Martinez is the upcoming opponent of Abubakar Nurmagomedov in the PFL cage for his comeback fight. The Black Spartan has 1-0 in PFL thus far and carries a professional record of 15-1-0 overall.
The 28-year-old Mexican talent will be fighting in Welterweight instead of Bantamweight, which is the division he is accustomed to. This does give Nurmagomedov a bit of leverage. However, the Black Spartan’s recent win against Dan Ige in UFC Noche has highlighted his speed and agility. For him, this fight represents a career-defining opportunity to secure a win over a seasoned UFC veteran and potentially earn a more consistent spot on the roster.
Although neither Martinez nor Nurmagomedov has made any major public statements regarding this yet, this upcoming bout will be interesting to watch, to say the least.
This fight holds extremely high stakes for both fighters, with the question of resurrecting one’s career and building on an unbeaten start in the promotion for the other.
