UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Dagestani fighters are being discriminated against for a lack of showmanship or simply being too good.
Khabib, who retired undefeated after a hall of fame career, was speaking at the World Sports Summit in Dubai where he criticised the politics he feels are ruining modern MMA.
The 37-year-old has developed into an elite coach since quitting the octagon in October 2020 and has established a formidable stable of fighters boasting several champions across the sport’s various promotions.
He also runs gyms back in his native Dagestan, where he says he has 500 amateurs ready to take over MMA. All they want to do is “smash people and take money”, he said on Tuesday at Madinat Jumeirah. His suspicion, however, is that they will not be signed, with promoters prioritising braggadocio over MMA skills.
“I feel very bad for the US promoters. There are so many hungry fighters coming [from Dagestan] and they don't like to talk. They don't like trash talk,” said Khabib, who retired with a perfect pro MMA record of 29 wins and humbled the ultimate loudmouth in Conor McGregor when they met in a now infamous bout in 2018.
“They just come, smash people, and take money. US promotions, they don't like this. They like trash talking. They like entertainment. I understand. In one way, it's business.
“But in the other way, end of the day, this is sport, one v one. You go inside the cage and we will see who's the best in the world.
“I have a couple gyms in Dagestan, and there are 500 amateur guys and they all want to be like Khabib. They all want to take over the world and they are all good. What are we going to do with them? It's very hard ... or just don't sign them. Right now, I see some promotions - they follow the politics.
"They just don't sign them because they're tired. Because all Nurmagomedov, they jump to the UFC and they take over. And the last couple of years, they changed a little bit politics, and I don't like this. Like I said, this is sport. It has to be fair.
“Even the last couple of years, we saw so many fighters, they cut. They cut so many fighters, they don't even lose in UFC. They just finish [their] contract, they don't give a new contract. Honestly, somebody has to talk about this. This is not fair. This is what I don't like.”
Khabib jointly held the record for most UFC lightweight title defences before being surpassed by his ultimate protege Islam Makhachev. He navigated his way to the top of the sport while remaining authentic to himself, but he recalls his early days in the US when he was urged to act out in an effort to boost his profile.
“I remember, 2012, when just they sign me. They told me, ‘My friend, your name is very hard to say, you need a nickname’,” he continued.
“Like, what? I have my name, why do I need a nickname? I asked my manager, 'What is this nickname? What do you mean nickname? I have my name'. No, no, no, because your name is very hard for them to say. OK, let's take ‘Eagle’ because it's the symbol of Dagestan. I take ‘Eagle’, but after six years, everybody knows my name.
“It is the same thing right now with so many young fighters. They’re good, 10, 15 [of them] and all undefeated world champions, amateur and professional, and they don't want to sign them because they need somebody who is talking, who is drinking, who shows off, all this stuff, they understand.
“They want this kind of fighter. But in one way, like I said, I understand that. But this is sport, best versus best. Not like the best dancer, or who has the best haircut or who has best followers. It has to be fair. OK, 50-50. If you guys want business, OK, let's go 50-50, but don't go 100 to zero.”
It’s testament to Khabib’s humility that his own achievements in the octagon were scarcely mentioned in a 25-minute discussion with the former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand.
He instead discussed at length the influence of his father Abdulmanap – the man who schooled and trained him – and how he has taken that forward to carve out an increasingly impressive record as a coach.
His stable includes UFC welterweight champion Makhachev and cousins Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov. Usman is set to defend his PFL lightweight world title against Alfie Davies at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai next month on a card where Khabib will corner no less than seven fighters.
“I think [coaching] is in my DNA because of my father,” he said. “When I was young, I was watching how he trained, how he led the team and I learnt from him a lot, I think [the way I do] because of him.
“And [now] by myself, I have my own experience. I was on top. I was a champion, and I get from a lot of people, I get small portions. I'm not young, too. I'm like a little bit, almost 38-year-old guy. I have some experience. Everything put together becomes a good knowledge, and I try to share this with my brothers.”
Khabib recalled how his father’s discipline and his upbringing around elite fighters prepared him for what was to come. He also revealed how his father’s death in 2020 impacted him greatly and stoked an ambition to continue his legacy.
“When I was growing up, I was always the youngest in my gym because my father brought me with, for example, the national team, with the strongest team, the best team, with current champions. He always brought me in the training camp. I was always youngest, and I did everything they told me.
“Because we have rules, in our rules, if you're young, you're always wrong. Who's older, you're always right. There are rules and you have to follow them. Somehow, like when I finish my career, I become oldest in my team.
“I was oldest. It's like, OK, I have to take leadership. Who's going to take over? Somebody has to lead the team. You cannot just leave them alone. Or today, I become a success, I am champion, I am on top. OK, see you guys tomorrow. It doesn't work like this.
“And I look around, who's here? Everybody is younger than me, and my father, may Allah have mercy on him, he passed away. OK, I have to take this leadership. I have to lead this team. I have to continue my father’s legacy.
“It's when this time came, I understand I'm ready for this. You know, some people, they are not ready. They are not ready.
“Some people, they become busy with their life because everything in their life is good, and they don't think to invest in other people, what you have.
“Because, for example, right now, I have so much knowledge. I have good energy. I just want to share this, what I have.”
