Sherdog Prospect Watch: 10 Upside Picks

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6. Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Division: Welterweight
Record: 9-1
Age: 24
Years Pro: 3.5
Camp: Fightspirit Team

The younger brother of UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, this Dagestani welterweight is yet another athletic and highly skilled wrestle-grappler with a great deal of upside. A recent signee to World Series of Fighting, Abubakar is already prepared to deal with the kinds of challenges he will face at the top of that promotion’s welterweight division, and if all goes well, he could be nearly as good as his brother.

Abubakar’s game is very similar to Khabib’s, which makes sense when you consider that their father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, one of the most respected judo and sambo coaches in Dagestan, has trained both of them since childhood; Abdulmanap can still take down Khabib. Abubakar’s approach revolves around using his powerful single shots or two-punch combinations to push his opponent back toward the fence or ropes, where he can duck under for a takedown or safely enter the clinch. Once he has his hands on his opponent, either standing or on the ground, he is nearly impossible to shake off. The takedown chains that inevitably follow are smooth, clever and relentless, combining a dizzying array of singles, doubles, hip tosses, inside and outside trips and suplexes. From top position, Abubakar has solid control and throws hard ground strikes, and he threatens with the occasional kimura, arm-triangle or armbar.

If forced into an extended striking battle, Abubakar would probably be in trouble, but that is not his specialty and he still has plenty of time to hone those skills. To do so, he will probably need to leave his native Dagestan, but thankfully, he is already represented by American management and has his brother’s connections to the American Kickboxing Academy to help him out. It seems inevitable that Abubakar will follow Khabib stateside to sharpen his game before his debut in World Series of Fighting.

Between his athleticism, highly developed wrestling and top control skills and the combination of his father’s coaching and what he will find in the United States, Abubakar is a strong bet to continue to develop into a top-notch fighter.

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