Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, met with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov during the latter’s recent stay in the emirate.
On Saturday, Nurmagomedov posted a picture on his Instagram account alongside the crown prince, together with the caption: “It was good to see you after training my friend”.
Nurmagomedov, 32, announced his retirement from the UFC in October, immediately following his successful title defence against then-interim champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi.
Although a return to the octagon has since been teased, the undefeated Dagestani appears committed to his decision. Nurmagomedov, whose professional record stands at 29-0, has been acting as trainer and coach to a number of his teammates, including cousin Umar Nurmagomedov, who won on UFC debut last month. That bout also took place in Abu Dhabi, during a third Fight Island series in the capital.
Nurmagomedov is a regular visitor to the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai, with the facility serving most recently as his training base in the build-up to the unification bout with Gaethje.
Earlier this month, Nurmagomedov attended the Uefa Champions League match between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, and left the Camp Nou with a signed shirt from hat-trick scorer Kylian Mbappe.