Khabib Nurmagomedov gives cousin Umar powerful advice regarding UFC title shot controversy: “Islam and I…”

UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov went through a similar delayed coronation to a world title shot as his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov now traverses.

Umar, the presumptive No. 1 bantamweight contender in the UFC, is expected to face Merab Dvalishvili next. Despite Dvalishvili’s stance against Umar getting the next title shot, UFC CEO Dana White seemed to confirm as much during the UFC 308 post-fight press conference.

After Umar was briefly linked to a potential clash with Song Yadong in December, he’ll likely face Dvalishvili in the first quarter of 2025. But, as of this writing, there’s no formal announcement or booking regarding Umar’s next fight.

The uncertainty regarding Umar’s next fight reminded Khabib about his own struggles to garner recognition during his legendary career. It was a long road to the title shot, which included injury issues and Conor McGregor leapfrogging him.

Khabib Nurmagomedov explains ‘transition period’ of Umar Nurmagomedov’s career

In a recent post to his Instagram story, Khabib reacted to Dvalishvili’s rant about Umar’s title positioning.

“Islam [Makhachev] and I have already been in his place,” Khabib said of Umar. “This is called a transition period. Over time, everyone will want to fight you. Just keep pushing forward.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

Dvalishvili made headlines during a recent Q+A when he snapped at a Umar fan who accused him of ducking the fight. Umar wasn’t slow to respond, questioning Dvalishvili’s seriousness and path towards recognition.

Umar most recently defeated Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi earlier this year. The undefeated Dagestani is one of the toughest puzzles to solve in the UFC bantamweight division.

If Umar wins the UFC title next year, he’ll be the latest Team Khabib fighter to hold a major world title. Khabib’s cousin Usman holds the Bellator lightweight title and UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is the present pound-for-pound king.

Umar is frustrated by his slow ascent to the top of the bantamweight division. But, Khabib and others believe the fruits of his labor will come to the surface.