SAN DIEGO – [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] continued to live up to the reputation of his family name Saturday in San Diego.
Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) defended the lightweight title in the Bellator 300 headliner against former champ Brent Primus (12-4 MMA, 10-4 BMMA). Their fight also was a semifinal in Bellator’s ongoing lightweight grand prix and moved Nurmagomedov into the $1 million final.
Nurmagomedov no doubt will be favored to beat whoever winds up in the final against him. Former champ Patricky Freire, whom Nurmagomedov beat to win the belt, meets Alexandr Shabliy on the other half of the bracket next month. But he said even a $1 million win would be just a step on the path.
“I have a lot more things to accomplish, even if I win this grand prix tournament,” Nurmagomedov said at his post-fight news conference. “It’s not going to be the end for me – it’s just the beginning.”
Nurmagomedov said he doesn’t care whom he meets in the final, either.
“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t choose (the bracket). These guys have a fight. Let them fight. Who will win? We’re going to be waiting on the top in the final. We’ll see.”
Check out Nurmagomedov’s full post-fight interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 300.