Usman Nurmagomedov is ready to return to motion on Saturday September seventh at Bellator Champion Sequence: San Diego, the place he’ll defend his light-weight title towards Alexander Shabliy. It’s a re-booking of a battle beforehand set for Champion Sequence: Paris in Might which was canceled on account of an undisclosed Nurmagomedov harm.
Now Usman is revealing the precise reason for his withdrawal: an sickness which he suspects may have been COVID-19.
“The final time after we’re getting ready for Paris, I used to be coming contemporary out of the month of Ramadan,” Usman instructed MMA Junkie by means of a translator in a brand new interview. “We needed to quick, and my physique was weak. I don’t know. Perhaps it was the coronavirus, however there was one thing with my lungs so I couldn’t get well correctly.”
“I received sick. And I used to be attempting to do my greatest. I used to be nonetheless attempting to battle and get the right preparation, however I simply couldn’t beat it. So sadly that battle was off, however now that’s time we ready.”
Don’t get it twisted: Usman Nurmagomedov isn’t any Umar Nurmagomedov, who has withdrawn from a number of fights over the previous 4 years. The Paris battle towards Shabliy is the primary time Usman pulled out of a battle, and he’s trying ahead to lastly competing once more for the primary time since November 2023.
“The coaching is completed. The camp is completed. Now it’s solely weight lower, and also you’re gonna see us on September seventh. It’s gonna be in an amazing battle.”
The delay has been so lengthy as a result of Nurmagomedov failed a California fee drug check following his Bellator 300 win over Brent Primus. For some cause, the substance he popped for has by no means been disclosed by the fee, resulting in a whole lot of hypothesis and a few criticism.
“We’ve a cope with California Fee, and I can’t inform to media or somebody,” he mentioned. “But it surely was medicine. If it had been a steroid, they should say, ‘This was a steroid.’ They usually have to present me extra time for suspension. They’ve to present me like one yr, two yr, and we’ve instance from different guys. It was medicine, and this was like nothing. Every part is nice now.”
Bellator was supportive sufficient to Nurmagomedov by means of the state of affairs that they let him preserve the light-weight belt regardless of the drug check fail.
“I do know who I’m, I’d by no means do one thing like steroid or one thing like that,” Usman declared. “Folks solely speak about this as a result of they can not win towards us, and so they should say one thing. You guys, you possibly can speak no matter you need, however who cares?”
