Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

Georges St-Pierre reveals what his strategy would have been vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Georges St-Pierre vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov is the super fight we never got.

[autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] is the super fight we never got.

Both fighters are adamant on staying retired which makes a fight highly unlikely. But that doesn’t mean former two-division UFC champion St-Pierre hasn’t envisioned how a fight with undefeated former lightweight champion Nurmagomedov would have gone.

St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) broke down Nurmagomedov’s biggest strengths, and broke down how their approaches differ.

“Khabib has got a very good overhand right,” St-Pierre said on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “He’s very good at measuring distance and creating a dilemma in the mind of his opponent between a takedown and an overhand right. He’s at his most dangerous when he puts you with your back against the fence because he’s a master at chain wrestling.

“My style is different. My style is more in the middle. I’m very good at using fakes and creating destruction to get in your legs. I’m more the dynamic guy. I call it proactive and reactive takedown from the center, but Khabib is better when he’s got his opponent’s back against the fence.”

As for how St-Pierre would have approached fellow UFC Hall of Famer Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC), the longtime welterweight champion says he would have been offensive with his wrestling, too.

“My strategy if I would have gone against Khabib would be to keep the fight as most as I can in the middle and not be afraid to take him down,” St-Pierre continued. “I would have maybe been the first guy that he fought or one of the only guys that would have tried to take him down, and I’ve put down everybody that I’ve fought.”

St-Pierre never looked at Nurmagomedov as a matchup he’d win 10/10 times, but is confident he did have the skills to hand him his first-career loss.

“I can say whatever I want but I think Khabib could have beat me,” St-Pierre said. “I’m not saying I would have beat Khabib all the time. I was confident enough to take that fight that I was thinking if I take that fight, I’m going to beat him that day, at that particular place.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll beat him all the time, but I was confident. “But, maybe I’m wrong. I think I would have beat him because in a way if he would have put pressure on me, I would have put him down. I would have been confident to try to go for it.”

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Javier Mendez disagrees with Daniel Cormier’s claim that Islam Makhachev more dangerous than Khabib Nurmagomedov

For Javier Mendez, Islam Makhachev is more skilled than Khabib Nurmagomedov but not more dangerous.

For [autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag], [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is more skilled than [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] but not more dangerous.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag], who also trained under Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy, said UFC lightweight champion Makhachev is even more dangerous than former champ Nurmagomedov was during his prime.

Mendez heavily disagrees.

“OK, he’s more skilled in multiple areas, yes,” Mendez told MMA Mania. “More dangerous? Nobody is more dangerous, in my opinion, in the world than Khabib. Nobody, no one, I don’t care. I haven’t seen one that is more dangerous than Khabib in the sense of danger. I mean, you can’t do nothing to him. It’s very difficult to do anything to him.”

Mendez raved about Nurmagomedov’s chin. “The Eagle” retired undefeated and never tasted his own blood in 29 professional fights. Mendez says only one fighter was able to briefly stun Nurmagomedov.

“Khabib is the most dangerous because, first of all, in my opinion and I’m being biased because I love him to death, he’s got the hardest chin I’ve ever seen on anybody,” Mendez continued. “He’s been hit. The only person who rocked him a little bit, a tiny bit, was Michael Johnson.

“Michael Johnson hit him with one hell of a shot and other than that, no one else has hit him with anything. Justin Gaethje’s hit him, but did nothing. He steamrolls everybody. I think ‘DC’ probably meant more skilled, yes that’s correct. But, more dangerous? I don’t think there’s ever been a man more dangerous than Khabib.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov won’t hold his son back, but would rather he didn’t become a fighter

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps.

SURREY, British Columbia – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] doesn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps.

Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020 as an undefeated and undisputed UFC lightweight champion. He is arguably the most dominant fighter to ever step into the cage.

Despite his success as a fighter and a coach, Nurmagomedov prefers if his son pursued different avenues than combat sports. However, he understands that may be difficult as his son is starting to grow curious about MMA.

“I know for sure he’s going to train,” Nurmagomedov said Thursday during an appearance for Class A Events in Canada. “He will study, but about professional athlete, I don’t know honestly. He just asks me too much questions because when I retired, he was only three years old and he don’t understand nothing. A couple of weeks ago he asked me, ‘Father, can you fight like Islam Makhachev? I’m like, ‘Why you ask?’ (He said,) ‘Because he’s a very good fighter. I never seen you fight like him.’ I’m like, ‘OK, this is a very good question.’

“I told him four years ago, you were only two or three. He was a baby when I was fighting. He tried to ask me can I watch your fights, he’s just beginning to bother me. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with him, but personally, I don’t want him to become a professional athlete. But, if he choose, what we can do? I’m not going to hold him (back) or do something, but honestly, I don’t want. I just want him to become a normal human because professional athletes, they are not normal people.”

Nurmagomedov’s cousins have blazed their own successful paths in MMA. Umar Nurmagomedov, who’s fresh off a win over Bekzat Almakhan at UFC Fight Night 238, is a top 10 ranked bantamweight. Also undefeated, Usman Nurmagomedov is Bellator’s current lightweight champion.

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Rare video shows little Khabib Nurmagomedov and his cousins as kids having a laugh at breakfast

Khabib and his cousins look so innocent, you’d never think they went on to be forces in the cage.

Long before [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] became one of the greatest UFC champions of all time, before he was a dominant force, before he took down opponents and bludgeoned them with ground-and-pound, he was a kid.

It’s easy to forget that the fighters we watch go to battle inside the cage, at one point, they were just kids who enjoyed being kids.

That’s what makes this video of Khabib and his fellow fighter cousins – [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and [autotag]Abubakar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] – sitting around and having a laugh at the breakfast table while being filmed as children so fascinating to watch.

Check this out (via Instagram):

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3_M4lpSzg0/?igsh=cXg0bjlnd3RlNXV0

Family is so important to Khabib. It’s why he retired while still in his prime, making a promise to his mother that he would no longer fight after the untimely death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Seeing this video of Khabib at a family gathering surrounded by cousins reaffirms that sentiment.

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Video: Khabib Nurmagomedov is against Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway. Does he have a point?

Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t thrilled with the ramifications of Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway at UFC 300. Fair or foul?

One of the most anticipated fights on the UFC 300 lineup is the BMF title fight between [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] and [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]. However, not everyone is excited about it.

Count UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] among those who are not fans of this matchup.

“All respect for Max Holloway, but I don’t know, and I don’t understand why UFC make this fight,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie recently.

Nurmagomedov would rather see Holloway face featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and Gaethje matchup against Islam Makhachev in the coming months. According to “The Eagle,” this matchup could prevent two of the best title matchups from coming together in the featherweight and lightweight divisions.

Is Khabib right, or are his comments out of bounds? Our “Spinning Back Clique” of Farah Hannoun, Simon Samano and Brian “Goze” Garcia answered that with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

You can watch their discussion in the video above and check out this week’s full episode below on YouTube.

 

Khabib Nurmagomedov clarifies that he’s done with cornering, not coaching

Khabib Nurmagomedov is still very much involved in the preparation of his teammates’ fights.

SURREY, British Columbia – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] is still very much involved in the preparation of his teammates’ fights.

Nurmagomedov, who retired from MMA in October 2020, also relieved his duties as a cornerman. However, the former lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer says that doesn’t mean he no longer helps his team.

“The Eagle” is still heavily involved in the training camps for the likes of current UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov, UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov, and many others.

“It’s not like I’m retired from coaching,” Nurmagomedov said Thursday during an appearance for Class A Events in Canada. “Sometimes I go to the gym, I share my knowledge, my experience, with all my brothers. It’s not about, ‘I’m retiring from coaching,’ but with cornering, fight week, everything, with this kind of stuff, I’m done.

“But I’m still sharing my knowledge and experience with my brothers. This is one of the most important things in my life right now before I maybe become 40, because I still have things to share with them. Grappling, wrestling, some mental things. I still coach my brothers.”

Nurmagomedov, 35, hung up his gloves as an undefeated fighter. Although most of his teammates are often on the winning side, unlike him, some have tasted defeat. And Nurmagomedov admits it’s a challenge to guide athletes through those moments, even if it’s hard for him to relate.

“This is all about the fighter,” Nurmagomedov said. “If mentally he’s weak, it doesn’t matter. Even if he’s going to win, he’s going to change. This is all about mental. Sometimes when fighters lose, this is better for him than winning because it’s not about, all the time, winning.

“But, when fighters lose, what can I say? I tell him you have to fix your mistakes and come back stronger. Calm down, stay relaxed, if you’re going to keep training hard, your time will come, but you have to be patient.”

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Steph Curry meets UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov after win vs. Raptors

Steph Curry gifted his game jersey from a win against the Raptors to UFC legend Nurmagomedov.

The Golden State Warriors picked up their third win of their current road swing and their eighth consecutive win on the road with a 120-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Steph Curry put on a show with a special fan in attendance. In front of legendary UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Curry tallied a game-high 25 points with seven made 3s.

After the game, Curry gifted his game-worn No. 30 jersey to Nurmagomedov. The two-time Most Valuable Player inked a message to Nurmagomedov on the jersey reading “all love champ!”

Following the game in Toronto, Nurmagomedov took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a picture of the duo.

Via @TeamKhabib on X:

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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NBA great Stephen Curry gifts UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov signed game jersey in Toronto

Khabib Nurmagomedov attended a Golden State Warriors game in Toronto, and left with Stephen Curry’s game jersey.

Greatness recognizes greatness.

While in Canada for appearances, UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] took some time out of his schedule to take in an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors, and also meet one of the best shooters of all-time, Stephen Curry.

“It’s different expereince to watch live one of the best NBA player in the world,” Nurmagomedov tweeted from his courtside seat along with a picture of Curry mid-game.

On the second night of back-to-back games on a road trip which included Curry’s first game in Canada since 2019, the Warriors picked up their eighth straight away victory. In typical Curry fashion, he made it rain from beyond the arc with seven three-pointers, ending the night with a game-high total of 25 points. He also added six rebounds and six assists to help carry his team to victory.

After the game, Curry removed his jersey and signed, “To Khabib, All Love, Champ!!”

TORONTO, CANADA – MARCH 1: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors signs his jersey after their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 1, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

The four-time NBA champion then met Nurmagomedov on the court where the two greats of their respective sports had a brief conversation, and Curry presented the signed jersey to the undefeated UFC legend.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3_xlUJM1Ek/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3_vORbsBH8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Khabib Nurmagomedov never entertained UFC 300: October 2020 ‘was my last fight, and I will never change this’

Not even UFC 300 could lure Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement.

SURREY, British Columbia – Not even UFC 300 could lure [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] out of retirement.

Nurmagomedov hung up his gloves after submitting Justin Gaethje to retain his lightweight title in October 2020. He made a promise to his mother that he will never fight again without his father in his corner, after his father passed away July 2020.

The UFC was scrambling hard to put together big fights for its historic 300th show, which takes place April 13 in Las Vegas. While Nurmagomedov says no one personally reached out to him, they may have tried through his manager, Ali Abdelaziz.

“I know they connected with Ali, but I told Ali last maybe one year (ago), I said, ‘It doesn’t matter who calls you, but never call me about a fight,'” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie on Thursday following an appearance for Class A Events in Canada.

“We have a deal: Directly with me, nobody connects. But I know with Ali, he connected with some people from UFC. But I told (everyone) already once, and I told a lot of times for all these people that try to bring me back: I decided this in October 2020. It was my last fight, and I will never change this.”

UFC 300 will be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between champion Alex Pereira, who takes on former champ Jamahal Hill.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway ‘makes no sense,’ leaves Islam Makhachev in limbo

Khabib Nurmagomedov is confused by the UFC’s current bookings in the lightweight division, specifically Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway.

SURREY, British Columbia – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] is confused by the UFC’s current bookings in the lightweight division.

Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC), a former UFC lightweight champion, has seen his good friend and protege [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] takes the reigns in the weight class following his retirement in October 2020. Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) has already reeled off two title defenses – both against Alexander Volkanovski – and has seemingly been eagerly awaiting his next foe.

Many people, including Nurmagomedov, thought UFC would put together Makhachev vs. Justin Gaethje for the first quarter of this year. Instead, Gaethje was booked for a BMF title defense vs. Max Holloway at UFC 300 on April 13, with former champion Charles Oliveira set to take on the surging Armen Tsarukyan on the same card in Las Vegas.

That leaves Makhachev in limbo as fights play out to determine his next challenger, but Nurmagomedov is failing to comprehend the plan when he felt like an obvious and fresh name was right there.

“All respect for Max Holloway, but I don’t know, and I don’t understand why UFC make this fight,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie following an appearance for Class A Events. “Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway: It makes no sense – (that’s) my opinion. My opinion, Holloway is supposed to fight with (Ilia) Topuria next, maybe September. Justin Gaethje is supposed to fight with Islam in May or June, and Tsarukyan vs. Oliveira, they fight in April. Whoever wins that (should be fighting) the winner of Islam vs. Justin Gaethje.

“Now, Topuria will fight with who? Movsar (Evloev) is the best option. I don’t know if Dana White will give him (a title shot). My opinion, he deserves this. I don’t understand. It makes no sense why they don’t give Islam (a fight with) Justin Gaethje, why they make him fight vs. Holloway.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hHJjtKFAtI

Makhachev hasn’t seen action since a first-round knockout of Volkanovski in their rematch at UFC 294 in October. UFC CEO Dana White claimed the current 155-pound king was injured and that’s what led to the booking of Gaethje vs. Holloway and Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan.

Regardless, Makhachev, 32, is available to defend his title, Nurmagomedov said, and Gaethje has stated he wouldn’t have been opposed to waiting fir his opportunity. But now there’s no certain next step.

“I don’t understand what UFC have planned,” Nurmagomedov said. “But Islam ready to fight with anyone.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.