• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, receives Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC Lightweight Champion and winner of UFC 242 Abu Dhabi, during a Sea Palace barza. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, receives Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC Lightweight Champion and winner of UFC 242 Abu Dhabi, during a Sea Palace barza. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC Lightweight Champion, during a Sea Palace barza. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs )
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC Lightweight Champion, during a Sea Palace barza. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs )
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stands for a photo with Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Seen holding a traditional 'Papakha' hat, a gift from Khabib Nurmagomedov. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stands for a photo with Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Seen holding a traditional 'Papakha' hat, a gift from Khabib Nurmagomedov. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed greets the father of Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed greets the father of Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
  • Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed (2nd L), greets Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
    Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed (2nd L), greets Khabib Nurmagomedov during a Sea Palace barza. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Government

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov

Crown Prince welcomes winner of UFC 242 Abu Dhabi and his father at Sea Palace barza

The National

September 10, 2019

  • English
  • Arabic

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov on Monday.

Nurmagomedov defeated Dustin Poirier after forcing him to tap out in a headline title unification bout at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night.

More than 13,000 people attended the fight at The Arena on Yas Island.

Immediately after winning, Nurmagomedov embraced his father, who also met Sheikh Mohamed during the Sea Palace Barza on Monday.

Nurmagomedov said he was open to fighting again in Abu Dhabi.

“I love this region. I’ve been in Turkey, Europe, Russia, even Dagestan, [the] US, Brazil, Canada, Mexico," he said after his fight.

"I’ve been everywhere. But this place – the Emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai – is the safest place in the world. This is an amazing place.

“I want to come back here, maybe next year. Why not? Because UFC have already made an exclusive contract with Abu Dhabi and next year they’re going to make another show here, too. We’ll see."

UAE