Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier: Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor won’t let go of ‘deep-rooted’ hatred

Daniel Cormier doesn’t expect Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor’s rivalry to ever end.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] doesn’t expect [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s rivalry to ever end.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) never wastes an opportunity to take a shot at Nurmagomedov, most recently ridiculing former U.S. President Donald Trump for picking “The Eagle” as his favorite fighter.

Nurmagomedov has been retired since October 2020, and his finish of McGregor in October 2018 is the largest selling pay-per-view in UFC history. Nurmagomedov’s protege, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, is willing to stretch out the history by defending his belt against McGregor, if “The Notorious” can emerge victorious in his expected return against Michael Chandler.

“He just hates Khabib,” Cormier said on his “Funky and the Champ” show with Ben Askren. “He hates him. … They are not letting it go. It’s deep-rooted, but it’s deep-rooted on both sides, honestly. (Nuragomedov) doesn’t like this guy, bro. They don’t like each other. This is crazy. It really is. It’s deep. It’s very deep.

“But I think the closest thing you would get to a resolution in that is, again, Conor beating Michael and then earning a championship fight against Islam Makhachev, right? Then Khabib could probably try to find some comfort in that and Conor could try to actually find redemption in trying to beat the guy that became the guy, right? So there’s stories there. I don’t know that it happens because Michael Chandler can’t seem to get a date (with McGregor).”

McGregor was scheduled to fight Chandler at UFC 303 in June, but was forced out due to a broken toe. He has not competed since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

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PFL signs Renat Khavalov, Khabib’s pick for future superstar

PFL has signed the fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov labeled the best unknown beast on his team, Renat Khavalov.

Two years ago, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] was asked who the No. 1 unknown beast from his gym was.

After a brief pause, one name came to mind: [autotag]Renat Khavalov[/autotag].

Fast forward two years, and Khavlov (8-0) has signed with his first major promotion. On Thursday, PFL officials informed MMA Junkie that Khavlov has signed an exclusive, multifight deal. Historically a bantamweight, Khavalov will compete at featherweight in PFL, though could appear in Bellator at bantamweight.

“I think you guys have to remember this name,” Nurmagomedov told ESPN in 2022. “Just watch his fights. This guy is a very good wrestler. He finishes everybody with knockouts. He has very fast hands. Of course, he has great ground game. He’s young. He’s very hungry. I’m very excited about his future. … He finishes everybody. He knocks out everybody. Nobody can take him down. He has a great wrestling base. I think if he’s going to stay focused, keep training like he’s doing all his last six years with our team, I think he’s going to be a big, big superstar in the future.”

Khavalov, 25, enters PFL with an undefeated record and six finishes by strikes in eight professional appearances. He’s competed for UAE Warriors and Eagle FC, among other promotions.

No debut date or opponent has been announced for Khavalov at this time.

Khabib Nurmagomedov returns to corner cousin Umar at UFC on ABC 7

UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov will be back on corner duty for his cousin Umar in the UFC on ABC 7 main event.

Undefeated [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] will have his UFC Hall of Fame family member, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] in his corner this weekend.

At UFC on ABC 7, which takes place at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Umar (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) confirmed to MMA Junkie that he will once again have his cousin Khabib on hand to help guide him to victory in the main event against former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen.

It’s a big fight in the UFC’s 135-pound division.

Umar, currently No. 13 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings and No. 10 in the UFC’s promotional rankings, said he was promised a title shot with a victory. Sandhagen (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) currently sits at No. 6 and 2, respectively.

In a fight with such high stakes, it’s important for Umar to have his best team available, including Khabib, who was last in his corner at UFC 272 in March 2022 in a first-round submission victory over Brian Kelleher.

“It will be Usman (Nurmagomedov), Shamil Zavurov, Javier (Mendez), and Khabib,” Umar told MMA Junkie.

Through five UFC bouts, Umar has been a dominant force at bantamweight. He has finished Kelleher, Sergey Morozov and Raoni Barcelos, while picking up decisions over Nate Maness and Bakzat Almakhan.

Khabib last appeared as a cornerman at UFC 302. He was part of the coaching team for Islam Makhachev, who defeated Dustin Poirier to retain the lightweight title. It was a return to the scene for “The Eagle” after signaling he was taking time away from the sport completely after turning in a 2022 Coach of the Year campaign with Mendez.

He returns to be in his cousin’s corner to help him navigate his way to victory against a savvy Sandhagen, who once fought for the vacant interim bantamweight title, but came up short against former champ Petr Yan.

The bantamweight title is set to be defended at Noche UFC at Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14 when champ Sean O’Malley meets Merab Dvalishvili.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.

Dustin Poirier says Khabib Nurmagomedov purchased UFC 302 fight kit for $30,000

Khabib Nurmagomedov came through for Dustin Poirier’s charity after an eBay bidder failed to pay for “The Diamond’s” fight kit.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] found a buyer for his UFC 302 fight kit, and it was none other than the man he once fought for the lightweight title, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

Poirier wore new custom floral shorts in his UFC 302 bout against Islam Makhachev in his latest shot at the divisional title. Although Poirier lost by submission in Round 5, he sought to make a positive out of the moment by listing the shorts, along with his shirt, gloves, and hand wraps for auction for The Good Fight Foundation, a charity organized by the Louisiana native.

Unfortunately, the winning eBay bidder failed to pay for the fight kit after the auction was completed. That’s when Nurmagomedov stepped up.

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During a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Poirier revealed that his former foe was interested in purchasing the shorts. According to Poirier, Nurmagomedov made good on the deal a few days later.

“He purchased it,” Poirier told MMA Junkie. “… $30,000.”

Poirier said Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, contacted him to complete the purchase of the fight kit, which will provide funds for the charity’s programs.

“He came through, we shipped it off, backpacks are getting filled,” Poirier said.

Poirier admitted he initially hesitated to sell the fight kit, because his fighting future is uncertain. The 35-year-old fighter contemplated retiring, and thought about holding on to what could be his final UFC fight kit. Ultimately, “The Diamond” decided to sell it to raise money to benefit his community.

For the past five years, Poirier’s charity has given away backpacks filled with school supplies to children in the Lafayette Parish school system who need assistance. This year’s “Back to School” event takes place Aug. 3 in Lafayette, La., where the charity will provide up to three backpacks per vehicle.

“We’ve got about 1,500, maybe a little bit less, maybe a little bit more, backpacks filled with school supplies for the year,” Poirier said.

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Khabib, Islam, Usman, Umar … Meet Amru Magomedov, next in succession in the Nurmagomedov dynasty

Meet the 25-year-old who could next become the household name crafted by Team Nurmagomedov.

The year was 2016 and Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was holding a training session in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] was still two years away from winning gold, but the traction was starting to build. Something special was being crafted. The skill level in the Russian training room was elevated slightly each day, under Abdulmanap’s direction.

In that room stood a recent UFC debutant, [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], fresh off a bounce-back win over Chris Wade. Soon-to-be professional debutants, brothers Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov also were among the pack.

There also was a 17-year-old, [autotag]Amru Magomedov[/autotag], a family friend of the Nurmagomedovs since childhood.

The lessons Magomedov learned as one of the younger guys in a room full of future legends and notables laid the foundation for what would eventually build into one of the world’s most promising prospects. Magomedov forever owes a lot to Abdulmanap and the teachings that continue to be passed down through fight generations.

“I have all the best memories working with Abdulmanap, training with him,” Magomedov told MMA Junkie, of his coach and mentor, who died in 2020. “I spent four years with him. Obviously, he was taking care of all the guys. He would come wake us up in the morning, making sure everybody is training in the morning and in the evening. He was all about discipline. He said, ‘It’s very important you guys be disciplined. You should follow the regiment and everything is going to be great. Make sure you go to sleep on time.’ So yeah, he definitely was the one who started this whole thing and I’m thankful to know him.”

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Over the next eight years, Magomedov traveled the world, assisting his training partners during massive championship fight weeks. He saw Khabib and Makhachev win UFC gold, Usman win Bellator gold, and Umar establish himself as a top UFC contender.

All the while, Magomedov absorbed knowledge and experience. The reps benefited his own abilities, which he’s showed seven times as a professional. In October, he clinched UAE Warriors lightweight gold and moved to 7-0 when he quickly submitted Jakhongir Jumaev.

Magomedov has never felt pressured, despite the predictions and expectations by those around him that he’ll be next to make an impact on the global stage. The legends and stars are just friends at work. He plans to do his job the same way they did.

“Well, it’s not as much pressure since I’ve known them for a while now,” Magomedov said. “I get motivation from them. They inspire me. I always tried since I started training to become champion. I want to be No. 1 and these guys are already at the top of their career, Khabib, Islam Makhachev, Umar, Usman. They are all pushing me forward and I always strive to be the best. So they’re very inspirational to me. Obviously, we have a lot of other guys in our gym that are on the same level and that are up and coming.”

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Magomedov, 25, headlines UAE Warriors 51 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi as he looks for his first title defense against Ali Kabdulla (9-2-1). He enters the fight with five finishes in seven appearances. His most recent two victories came over opponents with a combined 17-3 record.

If he wins, Magomedov hopes the UFC comes calling.

“I don’t want to consider any other leagues as of now,” Magomedov said. “I think if I put a spectacular fight and finish early on this Saturday, then I might have a good chance of getting into the UFC next.”

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Now under the guidance of Khabib, Magomedov takes his career one step at a time. But given the deeply-engrained mindset instilled in him nearly a decade ago by Abdulmanap, the aspirations and motivations are nothing short of championship.

“I think pretty much any fighter when they start their career have a goal and try to get into the UFC,” Magomedov said. “So far the way it is going, I think that’s where I’m going to be headed. I don’t just want to be another fighter in the UFC. Obviously, I want to become champion one day.”

This interview was conducted with the assistance of a Russian-language interpreter.

UFC ‘Muted’ audio reveals Khabib Nurmagomedov’s savage message to Conor McGregor after tapout

You never heard Khabib Nurmagomedov use the F-word or the B-word during his UFC career – until now.

You never heard [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] use the F-word or the B-word during his UFC career – until now.

It happened immediately after Nurmagomedov submitted [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] at UFC 229 in October 2018. On Monday, the UFC released new footage from the fight on the latest edition of “Muted” – a series looking back on fights without commentary, with audio from in the cage and cageside corners amplified – which shows the heated moment.

After McGregor tapped out to a neck crank and sat on the canvas staring up at Nurmagomedov, the then-lightweight champion was restrained by referee Herb Dean as he talked down to McGregor, yelling at him, “B*tch, I f*cked you up! I f*cked you up, b*tch!”

You can watch the new footage, as well as the entire episode, in the video above.

Not included, a few moments after securing the victory, Nurmagomedov threw his mouthpiece in the direction of McGregor’s cornermen and jumped the cage to attack Dillon Danis, inciting a wild brawl on the arena floor that spilled back into the cage.

It should come as no surprise how things ended between Nurmagomedov and McGregor given the very personal nature of the rivalry leading up to the fight. Still, this sheds more light on just how intense things were.

Javier Mendez says Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘needs to master’ cornering: ‘He goes a little crazy’

Javier Mendez thinks Khabib Nurmagomedov could use some work on his cornering.

[autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] could use some work on his cornering.

The UFC Hall of Famer returned to cornering his teammates when he assisted his protege, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, in his title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 earlier this month. Makhachev submitted Poirier to notch his third title defense.

Mendez would like to see Nurmagomedov relax more while giving instructions.

“He needs to master the corner, though,” Mendez told Helen Yee. “We still need to work the corner because he goes a little crazy on there, up and down, slamming on the table. I said, ‘Calm down, calm down.’ He gets really amped up.

“I mean, he loves his fighters so much, his brothers that you know, everything goes into that fight when he goes – I forgot what it was like to have him in the corner. It’s kind of crazy.”

Mendez, the head coach of American Kickboxing Academy, gave Nurmagomedov advice on how to improve as a cornerman.

“I gave him instructions on, ‘Hey, it’s OK to do what you need to do, but just sit down, yell as loud as you can to get your fighters’ attention, you don’t have to hit the table, stand up and cause the commission to keep telling us to sit down,'” Mendez said.

“So I said, ‘Scream louder, scream as loud as you can.’ He goes, ‘Coach, how am I going to reach him,’ I go, ‘Scream, scream as loud as you can.’ You’ve got to be able to say things within reason because you’ve got to listen the crowd. The crowd’s screaming, there’s nothing you can say. The fighter ain’t going to hear nothing.”

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Daniel Cormier: I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than Khabib Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier points out the main difference between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] points out the main difference between [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

Both Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and Nurmagomedov have notched three title defenses as lightweight champion – the division’s record in the UFC. With Nurmagomedov in his corner, Makhachev retained his lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 302 main event.

Nurmagomedov’s (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) title defenses came over Conor McGregor, Poirier, and Justin Gaethje before he decided to hang up his gloves. Cormier discussed their performances against common opponent Poirier.

“I don’t know that it’s fair to compare them, especially based on the common opponent, because I believe Dustin Poirier was better because he had the opportunity to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen.

“He had felt that strength in grappling – a little bit of a recognition of what he would be facing when he got in the octagon. I was one of the people that said early, and I said I think Islam Makhachev is more dangerous than Khabib because of his striking. But as I reflect on this, as a guy that’s been in there with both, I don’t know if we’ll ever see anyone as dominant as Khabib.”

Cormier explains that Makhachev’s willingness to stand on the feet puts him in more risky situations than Nurmagomedov, who had one specific, but unstoppable way of winning fights.

“I’m not saying that Islam was losing the fight on Saturday,” Cormier said. “There were times, though, where it looked competitive. How often did you see Khabib Nurmagomedov not look outwardly dominant? That is where I think you make the difference. We don’t know what would’ve happened if Khabib stayed for a while, but … history tells us he’d probably still be holding onto that championship right now with about eight or nine title defenses and still kind of dominating the way that he did.

“So when I watch them, I think the dominance is different because Islam will stand with you more than Khabib was willing to. But it was in the idea that you knew exactly what Khabib Nurmagomedov was going to do to you and nobody could stop it. With Islam, sure, you’ve got more things to worry about – you’ve got to worry about the striking. But with Khabib, he literally would tell you, ‘I am going to take you down and maul you and beat you up,’ and no one could stop it. I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than him.”

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‘Today Islam grew a lot’: Khabib Nurmagomedov praises Makhachev’s performance at UFC 302

Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov gave a glowing review of Islam Makhachev’s submission win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302.

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] believes UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] will walk away from UFC 302 as a much better fighter.

The UFC Hall of Famer was in Makhachev’s corner at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., helping guide his lifelong friend, training partner, and pupil to a successful title-defending submission victory over Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 main event.

Although this fight did not go the distance like Makhahcev’s first title defense over Alexander Volkanovski, Poirier pushed Makhachev hard, and became the first to open cuts on the champ. Nurmagomedov noticed how hard Makhachev had to fight for the victory, and was pleased at how he persevered.

“To be honest, today Islam grew a lot,” Nurmagomedov said in a video on UFC’s social media. “You don’t even understand. When you go deep like today, it shows people you understand your body, and your things inside, and how deep you can go even more.

“All the time people underestimate themself – our body, our soul. We can go more deeper than five rounds, 10 rounds – it doesn’t matter.You just have to find this. You just have to be relaxed and find this way you have to go. How you can go deep. It was a very deep fight.”

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Nurmagomedov returned to Makhachev’s corner for the first time since he won the lightweight title by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. After taking time away from the sport to be with his family, Nurmagomedov returned after missing two fights to reunite with Makhachev.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Jailton Almeida a ‘huge fan’ of Khabib Nurmagomedov, says he received tips ahead of UFC 302

Jailton Almeida got some insight from a Hall of Famer ahead of UFC 302.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] got some insight from a Hall of Famer ahead of UFC 302.

Almeida (20-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets Alexandr Romanov (17-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on Saturday’s main card (pay-per-view/ESPN2/ESPN+) at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Almeida competes on the same card as headliner and UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who will have [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] in his corner. Almeida says he had the opportunity to speak to Nurmagomedov and was surprised when “The Eagle” told him he watched his fights.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Makhachev,” Almeida told reporters, including MMA Junkie, through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 302 media day. “As everyone knows, I’m a fan of that school. I’m a fan of that style. I’m a huge Khabib fan. I crossed paths with him doing some training, and I really got emotional about it, just somebody I’ve always admired.

“I actually found out that he watched my fights and had some comments on my fight. So, I was just there absorbing all the tips and the fact that he actually watched my fights, and I’ve watched him train, as well, so I saw some things. Listen, big fan of Makhachev. I just think he’s a surreal evolution, he’s growing a lot, and I think it’s going to be Islam (beating Poirier).”

Almeida will look to rebound from his first octagon loss when he takes on fellow grappler Romanov.

“He’s a really experienced guy,” Almeida said. “Somebody that’s got a good record, coming off a win, but a guy that’s young. He’s 33 years old, but for his age he’s got a lot of experience under his belt and is a guy with a different style for heavyweights. He likes the ground game, the wrestling, the grappling style and again, an experienced guy that likes to grapple.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.