Umar Nurmagomedov Hopes to Inherit Khabib’s 'Eagle' Nickname

👏🦅Umar Nurmagomedov calls himself ‘Just Eagle’ and Khabib ‘Old Eagle’:

“I think on January 18th, I will deserve this name - Eagle. No more young, just Eagle.”😁

Advertisement

🎥 @akajav ▫️ pic.twitter.com/0UavJ9Neo8

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 4, 2025

Umar Nurmagomedov wants to follow in the footsteps of cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov in every aspect.

Umar challenges Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title in the co-main event at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Undefeated like his cousin Khabib, Umar now looks to become a UFC champ like “The Eagle” and even potentially take over his moniker.

While he is yet to have an official nickname, Umar is popularly known as “Young Eagle” because of his relation to Khabib and their similar styles. However, Khabib seemingly declared that Umar can no longer be called “Young Eagle” after the latter turned 29 this past weekend. When their long-term coach, Javier Mendez, asked Umar about it, the bantamweight title challenger agreed. According to Umar, the now-retired Khabib should be called “Old Eagle” as he inherits the former lightweight champ’s original nickname. And Umar believes he will be truly deserving of it if he dethrones “The Machine” on Jan. 18.

“Coach, it [doesn’t] make sense if you look at it like that,” Umar said. “He is ‘The Eagle,’ right? And he is my older brother. And if you [look at it] like that, I am the younger brother and younger eagle. It means not age, it means like new generation. It has never been about age. And we can’t be both Eagles. He is ‘Old Eagle.’ If I just ‘Eagle’, he is ‘Old Eagle’… I think on Jan. 18, I am gonna deserve this name: ‘Eagle.’ No more young, just ‘Eagle.’"

Umar has six UFC wins to his name, the latest of which came in a high-caliber clash against Cory Sandhagen last August. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is riding an 11-fight winning streak that is topped off by a title win over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 last September. The champ was initially unwilling to defend his throne against Nurmagomedov, accusing the Dagestani of receiving favors due to his relation to Khabib.

Umar is the latest in a long list of fighters raised by Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who is considered a pioneer of Russian MMA. Their teammate, Islam Makhachev, also defends his lightweight throne against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event at UFC 311.