Usman Nurmagomedov claims Alexandr Shabliy's "mind" is his weakness ahead of Bellator lightweight title clash

Usman Nurmagomedov recently weighed in on his upcoming title defense against Alexandr Shabliy and claimed that his latest challenger's biggest weakness is his mind. The lightweights are set to clash in the main event of Bellator Champions Series: San Diego next month, which will see Nurmagomedov put his title on the line.

The lightweight title bout is long overdue as they were initially set to meet in the finals of the Bellator lightweight Grand Prix. However, the promotion was acquired by the PFL and so the remainder of the tournament wasn't completed. They were then scheduled to headline Bellator Champions Series: Paris this past May, but an injury forced Nurmagomedov to withdraw, so the promotion postponed the bout.

During the Bellator Champions Series: San Diego global media call earlier this past Monday, the reigning lightweight champion was asked what he believes to be his opponent's weakness. Nurmagomedov was blunt with his response as he mentioned that he believes Shabliy's weakness is his mentality and made an early prediction for their title fight. He said:

"I think his mind [is his weakness]. I think his weakness is in his mind. When time gonna come, when cage gonna close, after two-three rounds he's gonna be tired, he will give up. I think like this. But, we'll see."

Check out Usman Nurmagomedov's comments below:

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When did Usman Nurmagomedov win the Bellator lightweight championship?

Usman Nurmagomedov has had a lengthy reign as Bellator lightweight champion as he earned a unanimous decision over Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire to win the title at Bellator 288 in 2022.

The 26-year-old followed in his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov's footsteps as he won the title with an unbeaten record. Since then, Nurmagomedov has successfully retained his title throughout last year's Bellator lightweight Grand Prix. He earned a dominant first-round submission win over former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson followed by a unanimous decision over Brent Primus.

Although he defeated Primus in the semi-finals of the Grand Prix, it was later overturned to a no-contest after Nurmagomedov tested positive for a banned substance that was a prescription drug. As a result of the mishap, he wasn't stripped of the title and was handed a six month suspension.

Check out highlights from Usman Nurmagomedov's Bellator lightweight title win below: