Umar Nurmagomedov is Out of UFC 254 With Illness

The biggest UFC event of the year is now less than a week away. The card is stacked from top to bottom, yet several high-profile matchups have already been scrapped. New reports indicate that Umar Nurmagomedov is out of UFC 254 with an illness.

It’s a tough break for the young prospect. Umar has already had two previous UFC bouts scrapped this year. Today, we’ll look at what this fight cancellation means for the rest of the card.

Let’s get into it!

The Final Event on Fight Island is Just Around the Corner

For nearly a month, the UFC has been holding all of its events on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. It’s proven to be the perfect location for international fight cards. The UFC has its health protocols narrowed down and things have run remarkably smooth.

Since late September, four events have already been held here. That includes the massive middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. On Saturday, October 24th, the UFC will hold its final fight card here.

UFC 254 is expected to be the biggest event of the year. It’s headlined by a lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje. Khabib is one of the most dominant champions in UFC history with a perfect record of 28-0.

Bovada, one of the top online sportsbooks available in the US, is offering some great odds for each man to win. For now, Khabib comes in as the -340 favorite. Gaethje is currently listed as the +260 underdog.

This is one of many exciting fights on the card. Many are also looking forward to the co-main event between Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier. The winner of this bout is expected to get the next shot at Israel Adesanya’s belt.

Even the undercard is featuring some world-class bouts. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing Umar Nurmagomedov competing.

Officials Confirm that Umar Nurmagomedov is Out of UFC 254

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been trained in his home country of Dagestan with the renowned “Eagles MMA Team.” It’s here that some of the best fighters in the world are based. That includes Islam Makachev, Said Nurmagomedov, and Umar Nurmagomedov.

The latter was originally scheduled to compete at UFC 254 against Sergei Morozov. Unfortunately, the young competitor has been deemed medically unfit to compete. A staph infection seems to have pulled him from the contest.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, the cousin of Umar, took to Instagram to explain what led to the fight cancellation.

“The last few days, Umar has been in a hotel with a high fever, which was caused by a staphylococcal infection. But despite this, he and our entire team were determined that he would perform on October 24th. This morning, before our flight to Abu Dhabi, he got worse and was hospitalized in Dubai. Get well brother, so it was meant to be,” Khabib wrote.

Many are disappointed to hear that Umar Nurmagomedov is out of UFC 254. He’s one of the most exciting young prospects coming out of Dagestan. The show must go on, though, and the UFC will now be looking to book Umar on a future show.

This isn’t the only member of “Eagles MMA” no longer competing on this event. Not long ago, Islam Makachev’s opponent pulled out of the fight. The UFC was unable to find a replacement and Islam was removed from the event entirely.

Fans are now crossing their fingers, hoping the main event between both men remains in place.

Who Will Face the Winner of Khabib vs. Gaethje?

All eyes will be on the UFC this weekend. Khabib Nurmagomedov has grown to become one of the biggest stars in MMA. Many believe that Justin Gaethje’s combination of wrestling and elite striking could give the champion some real trouble.

There are many lightweights eager for their shot against the winner. As of now, it seems likely that the winner of the match between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will be next. These men are expected to compete on January 23rd in Las Vegas.

McGregor hasn’t fought since his 1st round TKO over Donald Cerrone. It was an incredible performance and proved he’s still one of the best fighters in the sport. Poirier is coming off a “fight of the year” performance against Dan Hooker this past June.

The UFC has not officially confirmed that the winner of this bout will be next to fight for the title. There’s a chance that Tony Ferguson competes soon and gets the title shot instead. Michael Chandler is now a member of the UFC roster and is likely just one fight from a title shot, as well.

It’s always great to have options. We’ll need to wait and see how the title fight between Khabib and Gaethje plays out. Make sure to stay tuned for updates over the next couple of weeks!

Are you sad to hear that Umar Nurmagomedov is out of UFC 254? Who do you think wins in the main event this weekend? Let us know in the comments section below!