‘Don’t Feel Sorry for Me’: Umar Nurmagomedov Sends a Message to Worried Fans After Brutal Song Yadong KO

Khabib’s cousin Umar Nurmagomedov suffered one of the most devastating knockout losses of his career against Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai on August 29. 

This was his second professional loss. The Dagestani is ranked #3 in the bantamweight division and was on a two-fight win streak before the loss. Nevertheless, he is still in good spirits. 

Umar Nurmagomedov: “It Was Just a Fight”

Umar Nurmagomedov entered the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai to secure his spot as the next title contender. 

In the second round, Umar tried a takedown, bending to the left, but Yadong stopped him with a hard uppercut on the side of the neck. 

He was left unconscious on the mat while his cornerman and cousin, Usman, attempted to revive him. Considering the brutality of the KO, admirers were concerned for the Dagestani. 

Fortunately, he is well and has conveyed this to his fans. "Alhamdulillah, I'm doing very well. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me, made dua for me, and showed me so much love and support. But please, don't feel sorry for me. It was just a fight. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. I'm completely healthy, and I'm okay. I'll learn from this, come back stronger, and one day, InshaAllah, become a champion," Umar wrote. 

The message is clear: Umar isn't making excuses for the loss. He knows exactly what went wrong and has vowed to fix it.  

Umar’s Path to the UFC Title

Umar Nurmagomedov’s path to bantamweight gold appears far from clear now after the loss. The division will see major changes with Merab Dvalishvili and champion Petr Yan set for a trilogy at UFC 333 on 24 October. 

Meanwhile, Yadong, with a statement win now, will probably be seen as the next viable contender for the winner of Yan vs. Dvalishvili. 

Umar, on the other hand, will be back to the drawing board to map his path back to the win column. However, it is too early to speculate when he returns.