Said Nurmagomedov made his professional MMA debut in 2009 at World Ultimate Full Contact 15, facing the undefeated 4-0 Oscar Nave. He won the bout in the first round by way of an armbar. After a three year break, he returned in 2012 at Vale Tudo 3 to fight the debuting Jolon Uulu Jayloobay. Said won the fight in the first round by way of an armbar. Said returned in 2013 to welcome another debutante, Akhmed Sarapov, at Liga Kavkaz - Battle in Khiv 1. Nurmagomedov scored the first KO win of his career, ending the fight in the dying seconds of the first round. In 2014 Nurmagomedov signed with Absolute Championship Berkut, with his first fight being against the experienced Asulan Toktarbaev, at ACB 1 bantamweight Grand Prix. Said won a unanimous decision. in the next round of the bantamweight Grand Prix, at ACB 4 he faced Magomed-Emin Khazhgeriev, again winning by a unanimous decision. In the penultimate bout of the Grand Prix, at ACB 7, he fought against the undefeated German Barsegyan. He won by TKO, after the doctor stopped the fight in the first round. In the final of the Grand Prix, Nurmagomedov faced the undefeated Magomed Bibulatov, losing the final by a unanimous decision. He would then move to World Fighting Championship Akhmat two years later, with his first fight being against the veteran Diego Marlon, winning a unanimous decision. At WFCA 22 he would face Walter PereiraJr, winning a unanimous decision. He fought against Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev during WFA 30 for the vacant AFC Bantamweight Championship. Said won a unanimous decision to become the AFC bantamweight champion. During WFCA 35 he fought Anderson dos Santos. Following several jumping knees in the clinch, Said ended the fight by submission in the first round. In his final fight with World Fighting Championship Akhmat he won a unanimous decision against Luis Nogueira at WFC 42.
Said Nurmagomedov signed with UFC in 2018 and was scheduled to debut at UFC Fight Night 133 against Justin Scoggins. This was his first and, so far, only fight at flyweight. They began by trading kicks, before trading strikes, during which Said was briefly knocked down. After a back and forth second round, Said landed a takedown in the third round. He won a split decision. He next faced Ricardo Ramos at UFC Fight Night 144. Following a spinning back kick and high kick, Nurmagomedov followed up with punches, winning the bout by TKO in the first round. He was booked to fight Raoni Barcelos during UFC Fight Night 165. Nurmagomedov suffered his second professional and first UFC loss, losing by a unanimous decision.
