Umar Nurmagomedov eyes belt after Bautista win

Umar Nurmagomedov rebounded from the first loss of his professional career with a unanimous decision victory over Mario Bautista on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, staking an immediate claim for another run at the UFC bantamweight title. The judges scored the three-round main-card bout 30-27 across the board as Nurmagomedov controlled large portions of the fight with repeated takedowns and sustained top control.

Nurmagomedov, who dropped a five-round unanimous decision to champion Merab Dvalishvili earlier this year, used wrestling and positional dominance to neutralize Bautista’s striking output. He secured multiple takedowns and spent significant time working from dominant positions on the mat, while Bautista threatened with submission attempts and landed a knee in the second round that briefly rocked his opponent. Bautista’s eight-fight winning streak ended and he will need to regroup after a competitive showing that tested Nurmagomedov’s composure.

In the cage after the decision, Nurmagomedov addressed the division’s path forward. “I will come to take this belt. Doesn’t matter who it’s going to be, Petr Yan, Merab, doesn’t matter. I will become champion,” he said....