News Cory Sandhagen vs Umar Nurmagomedov set to headline UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3

[dmwalking]

The fight is in Abu Dhabi, which means Sandhagen will have to cut down to 136 lbs but Nurmagomedov can step on the scale weighing whatever he wants and they will still announce his weight as 136.

Outweighing your opponent by 10-15 lbs is a very significant advantage, especially in wrestling. It is one the key principles of Abdulmanap's system.

The constitution of the UAE explicitly states that Islam is the official religion. So there is a societal preference (especially among those in power) for fighters of said religion, which can affect judging in Abu Dhabi.

That's a hell of a conspiracy theory. Do you have any proof?

 

[Johnnny]

Do you have any proof?

Khabib:


Makhachev:

Chimaev:


Mokaev:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ufc/s/CnEGHMMcj8

 

[blaseblase]

I don't think the point is whether or not he can actually beat sandhagen, the point is he's skipping the journey and just going to the destination, when the journey is often where we learn the most about a fighter and often where most fighters trip up. Going from Almakhan to Sandhagen is very much skipping the journey, thus skipping many potential fuck ups. It is just more deserved when fighters go the typical, step by step, hard route to the top. Umar is very, very privileged in this situation.

Again though, I'm fine with this fight and excited to see it, but nobody in their right mind can argue that Umar deserves this fight based off sporting accomplishments, regardless of whether he wins or not.

If he beats the guy who gives a fuck? Everyone was soiling their pants over Poirier v BSD. These types of fights need to happen more often, not less.

 

[fortheo]

If he beats the guy who gives a fuck? Everyone was spoiling their pants over Poirier v BSD. These types of fights need to happen more often, not less.

That comparison isn't that good. BSD was a finishing machine and made fights look easy and he at least beat a ranked/fringe ranked guy in frevola. Umar is not a finishing machine -- he got dropped and couldn't finish a debutant in his last fight -- and he laid on Maness barely passing his guard for 15 minutes, and umar never beat anyone in the top 15. Not to mention Poirier was an old vet coming off a loss who had to defend his spot, where as Sandhagen is in his prime and on a win streak and should be fighting up. Umar is very lucky here and he's getting this opportunity based off his name.

Again though, I don't really care in this instance. I'm looking forward to this fight, but I saw the logic in what @xhaydenx was saying, so I was simply explaining it to that other guy.

 

[xhaydenx]

Ricky Simon? Figgy? Dom Cruz?
Every fighter calls out the fighters above. Dvalishvili called out Nurmagomedov when he was a nobody and dismissed him after last Nurmagomedov's fight when Merab was a top contender

But he's done nothing to deserve a fight with those guys. Why on earth should he have gotten to fight Figgy or Cruz? Umar has done nothing to deserve that.

And Simon was ranked 10th or 8th and fighting better comp than Umar was fighting. He had just beaten Shore. Why should he want to suddenly go backwards and fight a guy who isn't even ranked?

And then Umar said he doesn't even want to fight Simon anyway because he didn't want to give him a chance.

Just because you call out a fighter above you, doesn't mean you deserve it or should automatically get it. That makes no sense at all. Mario is higher ranked and with higher ranked wins than Umar, but if he was calling out the champ and the very top of the division right now and calling everyone ducks when they refuse then we'd all be laughing at him. But it's no problem when a guy who wasn't even ranked does it?

 

[xhaydenx]

this's an example for fake fight fans who rather not watch an interesting matchup just to block a prospect from having an opportunity to realize his potential.

Dumb take.

There's plenty of prospects that we could match up with higher ranked fighters for interesting fights if we decide to ignore rankings and actual achievements. Umar isn't the only one. He's just the one that whines the most.

 

[xhaydenx]

What did Umar do now to cause your butthurt?

Nothing. I just like seeing fighters earn it in the ring instead of on twitter.

 

[xhaydenx]

What was Sean O'malley ranked when he got the shot at Petr Yan?

11th, which I remember thinking was a little generous for him considering he didn't actually beat the higher ranked Pedro.

That said, Umar has somehow managed to crack the top 10 without even fighting any top 15 opponents. An incredible effort haha.

 

[Brigfa2]

What the reason these guys only fighting in Abu Dhabi. Not getting visa, sweet arab money or some shady reason?

 

[Koala]

But he's done nothing to deserve a fight with those guys. Why on earth should he have gotten to fight Figgy or Cruz? Umar has done nothing to deserve that.

And Simon was ranked 10th or 8th and fighting better comp than Umar was fighting. He had just beaten Shore. Why should he want to suddenly go backwards and fight a guy who isn't even ranked?

And then Umar said he doesn't even want to fight Simon anyway because he didn't want to give him a chance.

Just because you call out a fighter above you, doesn't mean you deserve it or should automatically get it. That makes no sense at all. Mario is higher ranked and with higher ranked wins than Umar, but if he was calling out the champ and the very top of the division right now and calling everyone ducks when they refuse then we'd all be laughing at him. But it's no problem when a guy who wasn't even ranked does it?

How many BWs are on a better streak? https://www.roster.watch/
#1 is fighting for the belt, and #2 fumbled this raise by losing to a journeyman and is now ranked by beating Ricky Gatekeeper Simon
You seem to like rank squatting but, at some point, higher ranked have to fight those guys that are never losing to the second half of the roster

 

[xhaydenx]

It probably has more to do with the fact that everyone else in the division is losing fights more than it does with Umar winning fights.
It does seem weird that he'd be #9, but when I look at the rankings, I don't see anyone behind him that I'd necessarily put ahead of him.

I understand that, but we can't just say "Oh, I think this guy would for sure beat these other guys, so let's just put him ahead of them all."

You gotta consider what they've actually done. Would you not put Mario and Kyler ahead of Umar? Kyler has wins over Song and Pedro, who were ranked. And he beat Barcelos. Mario finished kelleher faster than Umar did and he's beaten Simon, who was ranked.

Meanwhile, is coming off a win over Barcelos, and then a win over a regional guy who literally had a fake record, neither of which were ranked.

At least have Umar go and earn it.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

What the reason these guys only fighting in Abu Dhabi. 1) Not getting visa, 2) sweet arab money or 3) some shady reason?

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Generous scales + cheating to defeat infidels is not considered bad

 

[blaseblase]

That comparison isn't that good. BSD was a finishing machine and he at least beat a ranked/fringe ranked guy in frevola. Umar is not a finishing machine -- he couldn't finish a debutant in his last fight and he laid on Maness barely passing his guard for 15 minutes, and umar never beat anyone in the top 15. Not to mention Poirier was an old vet coming off a loss, where as Sandhagen is in his prime and on a win streak. Umar is very lucky here and he's getting this opportunity based off his name.

Again though, I don't care. I'm looking forward to this fight. I was just saying that I can see the logic behind what that other poster was saying.

"Umar is not a finishing machine"

He's finished 3 out of 5 UFC fights. That's not very different from his famous cousins. And what revance does that have anyway? It's fine to find out how good he is. This is the perfect fight for that.

 

[xhaydenx]

How many BWs are on a better streak? https://www.roster.watch/
#1 is fighting for the belt, and #2 fumbled this raise by losing to a journeyman and is now ranked by beating Ricky Gatekeeper Simon
You seem to like rank squatting but, at some point, higher ranked have to fight those guys that are never losing to the second half of the roster

It's easier to go on a streak when you're fighting lower level guys. Umar's last opponent was a regional guy with a fake record.

I don't like rank squatting at all. You can't say the second half of the roster can't beat Umar when he's not even facing them. Anyone can say that sort of nonsense and it means nothing. Otherwise, why not just give him the belt? Surely Suga and everyone else stands no chance.

 

[moosaev]

11th, which I remember thinking was a little generous for him considering he didn't actually beat the higher ranked Pedro.

That said, Umar has somehow managed to crack the top 10 without even fighting any top 15 opponents. An incredible effort haha.

Two points:

1. Umar was ducked by many ranked guys, even Dana has publicly said this. It's very hard to book ranked guys with him.. So there has to be a cost for folks that duck him, and that's Umar leap frogging them.

2. Everyone knows Umar would run through most if not all the fighters ranked toward the bottom top 10-15, lets get real lol. Why waste everyone's time. I wish the UFC fast tracked top prospects more quickly.

 

[xhaydenx]

Two points:

1. Umar was ducked by many ranked guys, even Dana has publicly said this. It's very hard to book ranked guys with him.. So there has to be a cost for folks that duck him, and that's Umar leap frogging them.

2. Everyone knows Umar would run through most if not all the fighters ranked toward the bottom top 10-15, lets get real lol. Why waste everyone's time. I wish the UFC fast tracked top prospects more quickly.

1. He was calling out the top guys. Them not suddenly stopping what they're doing to fight a guy who isn't even ranked is not ducking. None of the top fighters would say yes to fight Mario right now. Not because they're afraid of him, but because he's so far below them that he does nothing for them. It was the same with Umar. He wasn't calling out people around his level, he was calling out the top fighters.

2. And I can say that I think he would just run through the entire division, including the champ, so let's just give him the belt. It doesn't work like that, and it shouldn't.

 

[xhaydenx]

If he beats the guy who gives a fuck? Everyone was soiling their pants over Poirier v BSD. These types of fights need to happen more often, not less.

Mario vs Merab
Kyler vs Suga.

These fights should be next. If Mario and Kyler win, then who gives a fuck, right?

Those fights make more sense than a guy with no ranked wins fighting Cory who is 2nd lol.

 

[fighters_respect]

The creams gotta rise to the top. Dana White decided the rankings need a re-shuffle. I cannot imagine Cory will win this bout.

 

[usernamee]

Umar did get rocked by that tiny guy so maybe Corey can stop him but feels lik a difficult thing to do. I feel like he will lose a controversial decision. A lot of takedown attempts, brief takedowns, control without damage, etc.

 

[moosaev]

1. He was calling out the top guys. Them not suddenly stopping what they're doing to fight a guy who isn't even ranked is not ducking. None of the top fighters would say yes to fight Mario right now. Not because they're afraid of him, but because he's so far below them that he does nothing for them. It was the same with Umar. He wasn't calling out people around his level, he was calling out the top fighters.

2. And I can say that I think he would just run through the entire division, including the champ, so let's just give him the belt. It doesn't work like that, and it shouldn't.

Dude, he called out Ricky Simon (#8) and got ducked lmaooo. Nobody wanted to fight him. Umar been calling out BWs from 1-20 and almost none of them wanted to fight him. Thats a fact that even Dana admitted. Sherbros love spreading false narratives about the Dagis smh.

Here's a video of Umar shitting on Ricky Simon for ducking him