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Umar Nurmagomedov Makes Brutal Admission on UFC Title Dreams After Song Yadong KO Loss
Recent setbacks have not dashed former UFC bantamweight title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov’s ambitions.
Umar tasted defeat for the first time, last year at UFC 311, against then 135-pound champion Merab Dvalishvili. However, he bounced back strongly with victories over Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo.
Petr Yan Is Game To Face Umar Nurmagomedov.
While he was attempting to work his way back into title contention, China’s Song Yadong knocked Umar out cold in the second round at UFC Shanghai, sending the 30-year-old back to the drawing board. Nurmagomedov now has to rebuild his win streak before thinking about another title opportunity.
Umar Nurmagomedov Says His Dream Of Becoming an Undisputed UFC Champ “Never Weakened”
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, when Umar Nurmagomedov was asked whether his knockout loss to Song Yadong had made him stronger and boosted his motivation, Umar opined that his ambitions never changed and that neither victories nor setbacks can alter his goals. Here’s what he said:
“It would be fair to say that my ambitions have never gone down. Since I became a professional fighter, since I decided to become a fighter, I have had a dream to become a UFC champion. It was never weakened. This ambition has always been with me. I’ve always tried to improve in every aspect of the sport. It was never like ‘Oh, I lost…’ I’ve always worked hard… All that’s left is to stay patient and keep working.”
Check out Umar Nurmagomedov’s comments below:
“Since I decided to become a fighter, my dream of becoming a UFC champion has never weakened”: Umar Nurmagomedov opens up about his ambitions and mindset following his recent loss, insisting that his goal of becoming UFC champion has always remained the same
“I’ve always tried… pic.twitter.com/gukVoY8dlR
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 9, 2026
Umar has no upcoming UFC assignment scheduled. However, whenever he steps into the octagon next, he’s promised to not rely on a heavy wrestling game plan. Instead, Umar now wants to focus solely on striking and believes it will be the key to getting back on track and proving himself.
Umar Nurmagomedov makes his RAF Debut this weekend
For now, Umar Nurmagomedov is set to make his Real American Freestyle (RAF) debut this weekend in Abu Dhabi, where he will face Urijah Faber.