Join us as we preview a hot UFC prospect from this week’s UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal pay-per-view event. Read on for our complete UFC 272 betting guide – taking the first look at our hottest prospect of the week, Umar Nurmagomedov, and his opponent Brian Kelleher. Including updated UFC odds and our free expert UFC betting picks.
The Nurmagomedov name has become synonymous throughout the world of mixed martial arts, most notably for the accomplishments of Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, in light of his cousin’s retirement, Umar Nurmagomedov is prepared to keep the legacy and name of his family ongoing whilst competing amongst the elite of the UFC bantamweight division.
Aged just 26-years-old, Umar maintains an undefeated 13-0 professional record and has notably competed in challenging promotions outside of the UFC, such as PFL (Professional Fighters League).
The Dagestan, Russian standout, has been absent from the octagon since his UFC debut in January 2021, although another year of experience and training will only produce a more dominant fighter. Umar defeated Sergey Morozov via rear-naked choke in the second during his promotional debut. Another thirteen men have attempted but failed to defeat the up-and-coming bantamweight – the majority of which lost via submission.
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Coach Javier Mendez of AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) believes his student will one day become the bantamweight champion: “I’ve been saying it, in five or six fights, I expect him to be fighting for a title, and I believe we’re seeing a new champion, 100 percent.
He continues “He still has some improvements to make, but he’s going to make them. And yeah, you will be seeing him with the strap in five or six fights from now. It’s everything; they all look up to Khabib. He’s like a big brother and a role model. He’s everything they want to be like, and he provides them with opportunities, whether it be on the physical or the mental. He’s there for them, and they’re well taken care of. He makes sure that everything is done right for them, so they can’t be nothing but success with him because of all the knowledge and support he gives him”.
UFC Bantamweight Bout
Saturday, March 5, 2022 – 10:05 PM EST T-Mobile Arena
Training alongside his cousin Khabib, Islam Makhachev, and a wealth of talent at the American Kickboxing Academy has assisted Umar in evolving his striking game.
Similar to Khabib, Umar stems from a background in Russian combat sambo, a wrestling style from the European continent that’s becoming famous as one of the most dominant styles in MMA today. And despite having an undefeated record, a strong base skillset in sambo, and the same bloodline, the comparisons between Umar and Khabib end there.
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“He’s got great kicking. It’s a whole different flair. You can expect to see everything from him. But one thing that is going to be different is – Khabib’s boxing has gotten on fairly well. I mean, Khabib’s boxing is pretty good. But Umar’s kicking is phenomenal. So you can expect to see more kicking from him.” Said, coach Mendez.
With a complete all-around skillset at such a young age, it’s hard to disagree with coach Mendez that Umar is the future of the 125lb division.
Brian Kelleher (24-12-0) is a savvy veteran who’ll certainly pose an experienced threat to Umar; however, the New York-born fighter has shown a deficiency in his takedown defense versus elite wrestlers or grapplers. Both Cody Stamann and Ricky Simon didn’t struggle to land their takedowns on Kelleher, and when facing the offensive grappling pressure of a Nurmagomedov, this is a cause for concern.
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The opening line has positioned Nurmagomedov as the biggest favorite on the entire UFC 272 fight card at the best online books. This isn’t because of his family name but because of the threats he poses.
Initially, I wanted to wager in favor of Umar winning inside the distance, but the proposition odds are not yet available at the time of writing. Instead, I’ll happily back the under 2 and ½ with the expectation that Umar will finish Kelleher within 12 and a half minutes.
UFC Pick: Under 2 ½ Rounds (+110) [1u returns 1.10u] with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.