Khabib Nurmagomedov has used Umar Nurmagomedov’s latest win to push his cousin straight back into the heart of the bantamweight title conversation, while Umar himself is keeping an eye on his public stance on when a second crack at gold could come.
Will Umar Nurmagomedov get a title shot in 2026? Khabib says he’s ready, but UFC might want another fight
Following Umar’s unanimous decision victory over former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 in Perth, Khabib posted a detailed message on Instagram, praising his cousin for registering two fights in three months and indicating that their team wants a quick return. The former lightweight champion wrote that “whether they give us the title or not it doesn’t matter, we’ll be ready to fight in May or June,” citing the recent run as just the beginning for Umar.
Khabib also used the post to draw attention to another member of the family. He “passed the baton”. Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, who will defend his title on February 7 in Dubai as part of the Bellator Champions Series, says the team is already “waiting” for Usman’s next victory. That line strengthened Khabib’s role as a career organizer and coach in the Nurmagomedov stable.
In the cage at UFC 324, Umar relied on his wrestling and top control to neutralize Figueiredo, who came in heavy at 138.5 pounds and turned the fight into a catchweight contest. The decision pushed Umar’s professional record to 20-1, with independent rankings showing him at 19-1 entering 2026 before the Perth result, and occupying a top four bantamweight position worldwide. It was also his second victory since a five-round title fight loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311, a fight that was later ranked among the best fights of 2025.
Despite Khabib’s assertive tone, Umar tried cool conversation of an immediate shot at Petr Yan’s title. Speaking to reporters during fight week, he said he did not expect the UFC to offer him a championship fight immediately after beating Figueiredo, and that he was willing to fight again as many times as necessary before a title shot in 2026. Umar floated the idea of headlining an event in Abu Dhabi against Song Yadong or Sean O’Malley, depending on how the promotion books Yan’s expected defense against Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s own pursuit of another crack at the title.
That stance echoes comments he has made since the Dvalishvili loss, in which he emphasized the need to bounce back quickly, collect wins and let the matchmaking happen rather than aggressively campaigning in public. At the same time, Khabib has been consistent in arguing that Umar’s style and ranking already warrant a title fight, insisting after previous main event victories that his cousin is ‘ready’ for the division’s elite.
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