Meet coach Khabib’s MMA super-team

Islam Makhachev can identify the precise moment at which he anticipated a future UFC title.

When Khabib Nurmagomedov, his close friend, training partner, and current coach, won the lightweight title in 2018.

“When Khabib took the belt, I understood in my mind, I can do]it too]. Because I did the same things, training with him all my life, following the discipline, I understood I can be UFC champion at that moment”, said Makhachev.

“For 15 years this guy was training more than everybody – that’s why he had the success, training everywhere, every day, more than everybody. This is the key”.

Nurmagomedov, 36, is widely regarded as one of the best MMA fighters of all time after retiring undefeated in 2020 having won all 29 of his professional bouts.

After his father and his mentor Abdulmanap passed away, he left the sport and transitioned to coaching, where he is now the face of arguably the world’s most successful MMA team.

After Nurmagomedov’s cousin Umar Nurmagomedov is coached in the co-main event, where the 29-year-old faces Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title, that will follow.

Next week, Nurmagomedov will be in another cousin’s circle when Paul Hughes and Umar’s brother, Usman Nurmagomedov, square off against Paul Hughes in Dubai.

When asked what makes his family and team in Dagestan so successful, Nurmagomedov strips it down to one word: Sacrifice.

“Discretion is talked about, but that alone is insufficient. It’s all about sacrifice”, Nurmagomedov told the UFC in an interview this week.

He then proceeded to share a tale of a Mexican fighter who wanted to visit his country to see his family while he was coaching him.

“I told him his family will have to wait if you want to be the best in the world”, added Nurmagomedov.

“I am not against family people, I just say if you want to be the best in this business, you have to sacrifice.

” Sacrifice your time, health, everything you have. I tell people, “This guy is just a regular fighter, like thousands of others,” when they offer me an excuse. He will make money, he will be good, but he is never going to be champion’.

Should Makhachev defeat Moicano, who entered with 24 hours’ notice after Arman Tsarukyan withdrew with an injury, to become the lightweight champion in UFC history with four straight victories.

Umar, meanwhile, is competing for his first UFC title and hoping to extend the unbeaten start to his career to 19 fights.

With an impressive 89-1 record, Makhachev and Khabib join the pair with Umar, who is also undefeated after 18 fights.

Umar claims that the renowned Brazilian family the Gracies, who pioneered the sport’s use of jiu-jitsu, should be regarded similarly to Umar’s team’s accomplishments.

This will be our legacy. When we become older we will tell our kids, it’s awesome”, said Umar.

“Our team, our family, is going to be like Gracie, everybody will know what we did in MMA”.

Coach Nurmagomedov was yelling advice to the fellow Russian during Makhachev’s title defense against Dustin Poirier in June while he was wildly animated outside the octagon.

Nurmagomedov, according to Makhachev, finds life difficult in his new role, saying that because of his “emotional stress,” he “cannot sleep” after fights.

Nurmagomedov agrees with his observation, despite his success and the possibility of coaching three world champions if Makhachev, Umar, and Usman win.

“I didn’t know it would be this hard. When I was fighting I was controlling everything that was happening, but this coaching life is different”, said Nurmagomedov.

“I can only talk, I can’t do anything. I’ll follow my brothers’ advice and avoid being caught.