Umar Nurmagomedov pulls out of scheduled fight

Rising UFC bantamweight star Umar Nurmagomedov was set to face former interim UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen in a pivotal fight. Their five-round 135-pound bout was to headline the UFC Nashville fight card on August 5, 2023.

However, on July 19, it was revealed that Nurmagomedov had withdrawn from his highly-anticipated showdown against 'The Sandman.'

Ali Abdelaziz, who serves as Nurmagomedov's manager, told ESPN that his client's withdrawal was due to a shoulder injury. Nurmagomedov is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery next week.