Abubakar Nurmagomedov’s long-awaited comeback fight has suffered a massive blow. The cousin of UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov was slated to face David Martinez in a welterweight showdown at the PFL Dubai event on November 14. With the PFL going head-to-head with UFC 334 on the same date, the platform was set for the Dagestani to grab some attention by delivering a commanding performance. But unfortunately, Abubakar’s return failed to materialize before the event got underway. 

According to reports, Abubakar Nurmagomedov pulled out just six days before the fight against Martinez for undisclosed reasons. As a result, one of his teammates, Saygid Izagakhmaev, who was recently released by the UFC, replaced Abubakar to fight Martinez, saving the bout after such a massive withdrawal. 

For Abubakar, his appearance at the PFL’s upcoming event would have ended his three-year absence from active MMA competition. The Dagestani’s last bout came against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in June 2023, which he lost via split decision. That defeat marked Abubakar’s final fight in the UFC, as the promotion released him afterward. 

After parting ways with Dana White’s promotion, Abubakar signed a year later to face Louis Glismann at Global Fight League (GFL) in May 2025. However, the entire promotion collapsed before the 36-year-old could perform there. Finally, a ray of hope for Abubakar’s return emerged when he signed with PFL, reportedly in September 2026.

Abubakar’s fight at PFL Dubai would have ended his three-year hiatus from MMA, but now his time away from active competition has stretched further. Still, this is not the first time Abubakar, a direct cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, has withdrawn from an event.

In July 2021, Abubakar Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face veteran Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 26. However, the Dagestani suffered an injury right before the fight that forced him to withdraw. Following this, in another notable instance, Abubakar withdrew from his scheduled welterweight bout against Carlston Harris at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili due to a severe recurring illness. 

Though the reason behind the 36-year-old’s pullout is yet to be disclosed, the latest withdrawal has established a pattern.

For Abubakar, the setback definitely hurts since it ended a long-awaited comeback. But losing such a big name from a PFL event directly set to clash with UFC 334 on November 14 is also detrimental.

Indeed, Dagestani fighter’s outings as a pro MMA fighter have remained underwhelming for the last couple of years. However, Abubakar firmly etched himself in the history books by playing a pivotal role in UFC 229’s infamous brawl.

Abubakar Nurmagomedov was actively involved in the Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov brawl 

October 6, 2026, marked eight years since the Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov brawl took the world by storm. Even after all these years, by some twist of fate, we have found our way back to that night. Abubakar Nurmagomedov’s latest pullout from the event has reminded us of it.

After three rounds of a tense matchup, ‘The Eagle’ choked the Irishman out in the fourth round to end their fight. However, the tension from the heated buildup of the fight spilled into a brawl after Khabib leaped over the fence to attack McGregor’s teammates, particularly Dillon Danis, who hurled personal insults from the Irishman’s corner.

That created a literal pandemonium in the cage, with Team Khabib members coming into collision with McGregor. Viral footage showed ‘The Notorious’ landing a punch on Abubakar Nurmagomedov’s face, who was right alongside Khabib and his other cousins.

Right after the infamous night unfolded at the T-Mobile Arena, Abubakar reflected on his role by sharing a video showing his facial injuries and ultimately admitted landing punches on the Dublin native.

“In short, I climbed onto the cage,” Abubakar said, “F—ing hell. That f—ing Irish b—ch hit me. But I landed a few as well.” 

Alas, the wait to watch Abubakar Nurmagomedov in action continues, and we don’t know how much more time he will spend outside the cage without knowing the details behind his injuries.

With that, Abubakar Nurmagomedov took part in one of the most chaotic nights that shaped the course of MMA history forever. This instance also helped propel Abubakar’s name into the spotlight as one of Khabib’s cousins who clashed with McGregor.