Usman Nurmagomedov wanted longer fight at Bellator 263, says coach Khabib Nurmagomedov was critical of performance

Usman Nurmagomedov continues to turn heads in the Bellator lightweight division, but wishes he had the opportunity to show more of his game on Saturday.

At Bellator 263, Nurmagomedov (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) made quick work of Manny Muro, ending the fight in the first round with a knee to the body. The finish was impressive, but the Khabib Nurmagomedov-coached fighter was disappointed the fight ended so quickly.

“I wanted to show people that I have wrestling as well, that I have grappling, and to make a statement that I’m not only a striking guy,” Nurmagomedov said through a translator at the post-fight news conference. “That’s why I was trying to fight for a little longer.”

Although his plan was to get more time inside the cage, he ended the fight quicker than expected, which isn’t necessarily the worst thing that could happen during a fight. However, that didn’t stop his coach from being critical of his performance, no matter how long it lasted.

“When he stepped inside the cage, he pointed out all of my mistakes,” Nurmagomedov said about the former UFC champion’s criticism of his victory. “(He said) I had a lot of mistakes, but we will work on them and improve.”

Nurmagomedov hopes to land a spot on the upcoming Bellator card planned for Russia later this year.

Watch the full post-fight press conference with Nurmagomedov in the video above.