Magomed Umalatov Lives in the Gym, Literally
If you’re wondering how much the fight game means to Magomed Umalatov, go check the top floor of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. You’ll find Umalatov’s living quarters, where he and a few other dedicated fighters look to improve their skills.
Magomed Umalatov is a 13-0 fighter in the PFL, with a 4-0 record in the promotion. A product of Dagestan, Russia, he is one of the scariest and most complete fighters to come out of the region. Umalatov has finished all but one of his fights, compiling ten knockouts and two submissions. This weekend, he faces Nayib López in a heavily contested bout between two undefeated fighters on the rise in the PFL. At stake is a spot in the playoffs, and with extra points being awarded for finishes, Umalatov will be looking to make it a quick night in the office.
“It’s interesting that he (Lopez) still has no losses, but I always go with the same (mental) approach for every fight. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win the fight, and I’ll give it my best. For me, he’s just another guy in my way,” Umalatov said.
Magomed Umalatov entered the PFL after becoming the welterweight champion in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion. He finished Kyron Bowen just a few seconds into the second round, immediately announcing his arrival in America. While Umalatov went 2-0 under the PFL banner in 2021, he was not in that year’s tournament.
That changed in 2022, as he made his first run at $1 million. His power punching came into play, finishing Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi in the first round and securing a spot in the PFL playoffs. Unfortunately, Visa issues plagued his ability to participate in the playoffs, forcing an early exit without even fighting. One moment, Umalatov was about to fight MMA legend Rory McDonald in the playoffs to announce his arrival to the world, and the next moment, he was denied the opportunity to fight for $1 million.
Umalatov said, “It was definitely disappointing at the time. It would have been a great opportunity to showcase myself and go for the $1 million prize. Not to mention, it would have been a great opportunity to fight a legend like Rory McDonald. But life moves on, and I’m ready for the new season; I’m looking forward to it.”
Umalatov decided to move to the United States to focus on the 2023 season and continue to improve his skills. At 31 years old, “Prince” is in the prime of his career and wants to take his fight potential as far as it can go. He picked American Top Team because he believes it’s the best gym in America and where he can get the best looks. Avoiding Visa issues is a plus, too.
He highlighted some of his favorite training partners; he said, “I train with so many great fighters at ATT (and beyond), but there are a few in particular that I’d like to mention. Ramazan Kurmagomedov is fighting in Bellator this week, and he’s a great fighter, and Johnny Eblen is a beast as well. Those two guys are amazing.
Since arriving in the PFL, Magomed Umalatov has primarily shown a thirst for the knockout. He approaches the standup game patiently, never forcing anything and never overdoing the volume. With excellent eyes and accuracy to go with his power, Umalatov can methodically find the knockout blow, as he did in his last fight against Dilano Taylor.
Umalatov said, “It’s not that I’m trying to save energy, it’s just the style that I fight. I like to watch for any mistakes that my opponent makes, and then I try to punish them for it. That’s what happened against Dilano (Taylor); I showed him a feint where I was going for his legs, and saw a reaction. Then, in the second opportunity, I showed him the same movement and went in and got him on the chin. I view fighting like a game of chess; you’re trying to use any opportunity that your opponent gives you.”
That Taylor knockout meant more to him after seeing “The Postman” take his spot against McDonald in the 2022 playoffs. After Taylor beat McDonald in the semifinals, he faced off against would-be 2022 champion Sadibou Sy. Concerning Sy, Umalatov said, “My opinion is that everybody knows that he became a champion because me and Magomed (Magomedkerimov) weren’t there. Good for him that he took the opportunity, but for me, if I were to fight him, I’d approach him the same way and try to use his mistakes against him.”
Umalatov and Magomedkerimov currently sit in the top two spots in the 2023 welterweight standings. If all were to go according to the seeding, it would mean that the two friends would face off against each other in the finals. Regarding this scenario, Umalatov said, “Whatever happens, happens. He’s definitely my friend, but right now, I have an opponent, and so does he (Magomedkerimov). If we both end up in the finals (which is what I believe is going to happen), that’s going to be the next step, and we’ll deal with that situation when we get there.”
While his opponents plan for his knockout power, Umalatov stressed that he’s not a one-dimensional fighter. He said, “Anyone who thinks that I’m just a knockout guy is making a big mistake. I’m a well-rounded fighter with a whole bunch of weapons. The thing is that I know what the fans want, and what the PFL wants. Everybody wants a spectacular fight; everybody wants fireworks. Because of that, I try to fight standup as much as I can, but then again, if you give me an opportunity to take you to the ground, I’m not afraid to go for submissions.”
Umalatov prefers to stay disciplined, keeping his breaks between fights at a maximum of a week. He made sure to stay with a training regimen of two sessions per day during Ramadan (during the Dilano Taylor fight camp). He planned his training schedule in advance to accommodate the rigorous PFL schedule that required multiple fights a year. “I’m happy about the schedule when it comes to finances. It’s obviously challenging mentally and physically, but I’m already getting used to it,” he said.
During those short break periods, Umalatov spends time watching movies, eating lots of meat, and drinking Coca-Cola. He loves sightseeing, having visited New York recently to corner one of his friends. Even when he’s not fighting, he’s thinking about fighting – “When I go to the movies, I’m looking to watch some action and distract myself for a little bit. It also helps with my English, which is getting better,” he said.
Umalatov looks to improve to 14-0 this Friday and has the $1 million in his sights. If he wins it, maybe he can finally move out of Dan Lambert’s attic.
