“I Would Like to Thank Them” – Khabib Nurmagomedov Grateful to His Fans Around the World

Published 11/06/2020, 8:16 AM EST

Khabib Nurmagomedov is a man of few words, but when he talks, he talks from the heart. The fighter’s recent retirement has broken the hearts of fans around the world, but his recent comments will bring some joy to them.

Although Khabib has walked away, the UFC has given the Dagestani superstar some well-earned time off. In recognition of his legacy, ‘The Eagle’ is currently ranked as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the promotion and is still being listed as the lightweight champion.

‘The Eagle’ sat down with Dagestani media to talk about the support he had received from the fans ahead of his title fight. He said, “I have many supporters not just in Dagestan, but all of Russia and around the world. I have a responsibility to them, that responsibility worried me.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov had health issues ahead of UFC 254

Khabib opened up on his injury-riddled preparation for UFC 254. He said, “I had serious injuries, I was hospitalized for five days in mid-September. Then I came back and broke my toe.”

Reports had come out that Nurmagomedov had a bad run of events leading up to the fight. After being hospitalized, Khabib suffered a broken toe which affected his weight cut.

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The fighter said, “Those words about overcoming yourself are the truth. If a person doesn’t break psychologically, it will be hard to break him physically because the mind breaks before the bones… A big factor in that strength was the immense support of my fans, I would like to thank them”

He concluded, “My father and I always used to meet fans when we arrived at the airport and the stadium. This time we thought it would be best not to gather a lot of people. Given this chance, I’d like to thank them for the emotional support. It’s good to know that I have a lot of people behind me.”

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Fans around the world will be hoping that Khabib Nurmagomedov does return to the Octagon. A match up with legend Georges St-Pierre will be the dream fight to make.

Also Read : Dana White Says Khabib Nurmagomedov Considering 30-0- Will Talk to His Mother

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Written by:

Keith D'Souza is part of the Essentially Sports MMA writing team. Having followed the sport since 2013, some of his favorite fighters include Max Holloway, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, and Johny Hendricks. Keith also runs PureMMAIndia, a brand that promotes MMA over social media which aims at growing the sport in India.

“I Would Like to Thank Them” – Khabib Nurmagomedov Grateful to His Fans Around the World

Khabib Nurmagomedov had health issues ahead of UFC 254

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