Bellator 255: Mike Hamel not fighting Khabib: ‘I have his little weaker cousin’
Bellator returns this Friday as Featherweight king Patricio Pitbull takes on Emmanuel Sanchez in the main event of Bellator 255. In the co-main event, Mike Hamel will take on the cousin of the UFC star and former champion Khabib, in Usman Nurmagomedov. Hamel lost his Bellator debut to Adam Borics via split decision, whom is currently ranked #3 in the division. Nurmagomedov stands at 11-0 and is making his promotional debut, but Hamel isn’t worried about the hype following the Russian star.
“He’s got a lot of hype behind him,” Hamel admitted. “He’s got the pretty typical padded Russian record, fought tomato cans his whole career. This will be his first big fight, big fight in America,” Hamel continued. “We’ll see how he reacts.”
Hamel a former collegiate wrestler, and product of John Crouch’s MMA Lab, isn’t worried about the UFC champion helping Nurmagomedov train for this fight, or even corner him. Hamel himself has MMA royalty to train with in former Bellator champion Benson Henderson.
“He could have King Kong in his corner, I’m not fighting King Kong,” Hamel told MyMMANews. “I won’t have Khabib on top of me, I’ll have his little weaker cousin.”
As for a prediction as Hamel looks for his first victory in Bellator, “Magic” Mike is relishing in the idea of playing the underdog at Bellator 255.
“I don’t get taken down, If he does take me down I won’t be stressed,” Hamel explained. “I see myself getting my hand raised somehow, It’s fighting crazy shit happens but I trained my ass off for this, and I’m ready to go hard all night.”
