In addition to the general desire to compete, Nurmagomedov was on a nice trajectory in the talent-laden bantamweight division, picking up three wins in his first four jaunts to the Octagon. A bout with Jack Shore was lined up in 2021, which would have launched the winner into the Top 15 discussion, but it wasn’t to be.
Now, facing UFC veteran and regular Top 15 presence Cody Stamann, Nurmagomedov can get right back to his climb up the ladder at 135 pounds.
Nurmagomedov admits the last couple of years have been hard because of the lost time, especially as he approaches a milestone birthday.
“I feel sad because time is gone,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’m almost 30 years old. Now, I want to fight every two, three months. I don’t have a problem with cutting weight. I can fight often.”
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The pressure he feels about the big 3-0 is perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek, but there’s definitely a sense of urgency around Nurmagomedov. Although he boasts a 14-2 record, bantamweight is as deep as any division in the UFC and distinguishing oneself among the heap is an important and difficult task.
When it comes to fighting Stamann, defending takedowns is one of the highest priorities. Stamann averages about three takedowns per 15 minutes. Nurmagomedov boasts a 71% takedown accuracy, but Stamann is the kind of grappler who keeps coming in relentless fashion, and his average fight time of 14:18 backs that notion up. Nurmagomeodv, on the other hand, might find success if he can stuff a few shots and make Stamann pay for them.
