Although having just made his UFC debut, Javier Mendez thinks that Umar Nurmagomedov is only “five or six fights” away from becoming a UFC champion.
Umar, 25, won by second-round submission against Sergey Morozov at UFC Fight Island 8 last month, banking a $50,000 performance bonus. The younger cousin of now-retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib, Umar is undefeated in thirteen professional fights.
Talking recently to MMA Junkie, the American Kickboxing Academy head coach Mendez shared his high expectations for the bantamweight prospect.
“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,” Mendez said.