Umar Nurmagomedov was by no means actually involved about getting heel-hooked by Mario Bautista.
The one-time bantamweight title challenger bounced back with a big win at UFC 321, defeating Bautista by way of unanimous determination as a part of the night’s stacked important card in Abu Dhabi. Whereas it was a reasonably dominant efficiency from Nurmagomedov, the Dagestani confronted a little bit of adversity when Bautista got here dangerously near locking in a heel hook throughout one in every of their many grappling exchanges.
Nevertheless, based on Nurmagomedov, he was by no means in any actual hazard.
“When he went for my heel, I didn’t even fear,” Nurmagomedov stated throughout his post-fight interview. “That’s a place within the health club the place folks attempt it on a regular basis—I at all times escape from it. It’s not pure jiu-jitsu, it’s not grappling, as a result of in MMA, if you attempt to seize a leg, you’re getting punched. It makes it a lot more durable to assault the leg like that.
“He didn’t even pull, and I’ve bought good flexibility, so I at all times may get out. The knee—that’s extra of a behavior I have to do away with. I have to cease ducking down, and begin stepping again as an alternative.”
The win bought Nurmagomedov again into the win column, however extra importantly, it moved him to the highest spot within the bantamweight rankings, setting the stage for a possible rematch with reigning 135-pound champion Merab Dvalishvili.
However first, Dvalishvili will put his gold on the line for a record-breaking fourth time in 2025 when he meets Petr Yan at UFC 323 on December 6.
Primed to face the winner of that combat, Nurmagomedov will doubtless have a detailed eye on the yr’s remaining pay-per-view headliner.
