Khabib Nurmagomedov calls Usman Nurmagomedov the “future” of MMA

MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov believes his cousin Usman Nurmagomedov is the future of the sport.

As we know, it’s been an interesting time for Usman Nurmagomedov as of late. While he may be a world champion in Bellator, he’s also had to deal with a suspected doping violation. Despite that, he is set to return to the cage this weekend when he defends his crown against Alexandr Shabliy.

RELATED: Usman Nurmagomedov speaks out on CSAC failed drug test controversy: “It was medication, and this was like nothing”

For many, this is an incredibly dangerous fight for Nurmagomedov. Shabliy is riding a nine-fight win streak and in his recent wins, he seems to have been going from strength to strength. Either way, though, the fans in San Diego are in for one hell of a show.

Recently, his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov opted to sit down and discuss the legacy of Usman and what he’s hoping to achieve.

https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/1831460361872282074

Khabib praises Usman Nurmagomedov

“Usman Nurmagomedov is the future of this sport. Usman is young generation from our gym. Him and me was trained by my father, and now I train him. We spend years and years together in gyms, like, more than 15 years. He always was, like, so competitive. That’s why he’s still undefeated, that’s why he’s Bellator lightweight world champion and will defend his title. Next fight he will show and he will prove why he’s one of the best in the world right now.”

At this point, it’s hard to picture a scenario in which this fight fails to live up to the hype.

Do you believe Khabib when he suggests that Usman Nurmagomedov is the future of mixed martial arts? Is there a good chance we will see him compete for the UFC one day? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!