Umar Nurmagomedov Sends Clear Message on UFC Title Dream Before Facing Urijah Faber

Months have passed since Umar Nurmagomedov suffered a disastrous knockout setback against Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai. With the promotion yet to book his next MMA appearance, the Russian superstar is staying sharp by stepping onto the wrestling mats this weekend. 

While winning this upcoming freestyle match is his immediate priority, his ultimate goal remains capturing UFC gold. The bantamweight contender recently addressed his shocking octagon loss while reaffirming his only championship ambitions.

Umar Nurmagomedov Reaffirms UFC Title Ambitions Ahead of RAF Debut

Nurmagomedov returns to action this Saturday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, taking on UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber in a freestyle wrestling match. The crossover bout marks an interesting freestyle debut for the Dagestani contender as he steps outside of the octagon for the first time in his professional career.

Faber comes into this match on a rough stretch, carrying a 0-2 wrestling record after dropping technical fall matches to Henry Cejudo and Arman Tsarukyan. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, brings a dominant grappling background built on his elite Dagestani wrestling base and seven professional MMA submission victories.

Their faceoff streams live on FOX Nation, which features a Cruiserweight headliner between Khamzat Chimaev and Chris Weidman. Ahead of the matchup, "Young Eagle" reflected on his recent career trajectory during an interview with Red Corner MMA. He emphasized that he treats setbacks like any other fight camp, choosing to focus entirely on self-improvement rather than dwelling on the past.

"Since I decided to become a fighter, my dream of becoming a UFC champion has never weakened," Nurmagomedov stated. "I've always tried to improve in every aspect of the sport. It was never like 'Oh, I lost...' I've always worked hard."

Back in August, their bantamweight main event at Shanghai's Oriental Sports Center concluded dramatically when Song Yadong caught the 20-1 favorite with a devastating right uppercut 1:48 into Round 2. The defeat marked the first stoppage loss of Nurmagomedov's career and dropped his record to 20-2. 

However, winning on the mats keeps him active while the UFC bantamweight title picture remains heavily congested. Following UFC 333, where Petr Yan retained his undisputed championship against Merab Dvalishvili, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that matchmakers are deciding between Sean O'Malley and Song Yadong for the next gold opportunity. 

Because O'Malley holds a January win over Song, the booking order drastically impacts the division's timeline. If Song jumps ahead to fight Yan, O'Malley will likely remain next in line, leaving Nurmagomedov far from an immediate title shot.