Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin Umar ruled out of UFC 254 after being hospitalised

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Justin Gaethje is one of the most anticipated fights of this year and it recently came very close to being in jeopardy as Khabib's teammate and cousin Umar was admitted to a hospital due to vomiting, high fever and flu. Due to the current situation, many fight fans were concerned about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s health as the undefeated lightweight champion was training with Umar for months. A couple of hours later, Khabib Nurmagomedov gave an update on his cousin’s health, stating that Umar’s fever stemmed from a staph infection.

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Umar Nurmagomedov hospitalised: Khabib and team relocate to Abu Dhabi

Khabib added that Umar Nurmagomedov is currently receiving treatment in a Dubai hospital and his team has relocated to Abu Dhabi to prepare for UFC 254. Though the lightweight champion claimed that Umar Nurmagomedov is determined to fight on Sunday, various reports claim that the officials are looking for the bantamweight’s replacement. UFC 254 would have marked Umar Nurmagomedov’s debut in the promotion. He was scheduled to face Kazakh M-1 Global bantamweight champion, Sergey Morozov.

“The last few days, Umar has been in a hotel with a high fever, which was caused by a staphylococcal infection. This morning, before our flight to Abu Dhabi, he got worse and was hospitalized in Dubai,” wrote Khabib Nurmagomedov on Instagram.

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If the reports are true, then this would be the third time Umar Nurmagomedov has failed to make his UFC debut. His first fight was set for UFC 249 against Hunter Azure but was postponed due to travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. His second fight, on the other hand, got cancelled after he withdrew from the bout due to the death of his uncle and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Umar Nurmagomedov is currently on a winning streak (winning his last 12 MMA fights), but it remains to be seen how he performs against a UFC fighter.

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Umar is Khabib Nurmagomedov’s second teammate to face problems ahead of UFC 254. Earlier, Islam Makhachev was also scheduled to fight on the same card, but the bout was called off after his opponent Rafael dos Anjos tested positive for coronavirus. UFC 254: Nurmagomedov vs Gaethje will take place on October 24 (October 25 in India) at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

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Image Source: Umar and Khabib Nurmagomedov Instagram