Usman Nurmagomedov, Cris Cyborg, Liz Carmouche win at Bellator 300 - ESPN

The name Nurmagomedov has long been associated with undefeated fight careers and dominant lightweight performances.

Usman Nurmagomedov, cousin of former UFC champion Khabib, continued the family tradition on Saturday night in San Diego, successfully defending his Bellator lightweight championship with a one-sided unanimous-decision victory over former champ Brent Primus in the main event of three-title-fight Bellator 300.

The victory by Nurmagomedov, 25, came in a bout that also served as a semifinal of the Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix. In the final, he is slated to face the winner of the Nov. 17 semifinal between Patricky «Pitbull» Freire and Alexander Shabliy. Nurmagomedov dethroned Freire last November.

Unlike Khabib Nurmagomedov, who primarily utilized smothering wrestling to build a 29-0 record before retiring in 2021, Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) dominated his fight mainly with striking. His relentless array of kicks to the legs, torso and head damaged Primus and kept him at distance, preventing the challenger from presenting a serious threat at any point during the five rounds.

The first round ended with Nurmagomedov having built a 38-9 margin in strikes landed, and it didn't get any better for Primus the rest of the way. It was target practice for the champ the whole 25 minutes. Primus (12-4) kept coming forward, but Nurmagomedov eluded nearly all of his attacks and made him pay with counterpunches and takedowns. By the end, Primus' face was puffy and reddened, showing multiple cuts and bruises.

«I think I did a good job,» Nurmagomedov, a Dagestani who trains in San Jose, California, said after all three judges scored the bout 50-45 in his favor. «It was my night.»

The night also belonged to the other two