Back in 2021, when UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, passed away due to COVID-19 complications, the world wondered what would happen to his father’s martial arts school in Dagestan. He had left behind his talented proteges like UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev and his undefeated teammates Usman Nurmagomedov and Umar Nurmagomedov.
Fast forward to 2025, the Nurmagomedov clan is reigning unchallenged in several divisions across multiple promotions. Khabib’s teammates Islam Makhachev and Usman Nurmagomedov sit atop the 155 lbs category at UFC and Bellator respectively. It seems ‘the Eagle’ is winning big as a coach after his grueling training regimens for the team. But thanks to Ali Abdelaziz, his generosity is also now in the spotlight.
Their longtime manager recently sat down for an interview with TMZ Sports and looked back on the same. The conversation then shifted to Makhachev’s friend and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and how his work as a coach is progressing. The host asked Abdelaziz, “What would his father say right now about what Khabib is doing with his two cousins, both 18-0? And, of course, Islam is the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world. How proud would he be of his guys?”
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Abdelaziz wasted no time telling the host that Nurmagomedov is already following in his father’s footsteps, saying, “I believe he’s a guy who comes to camp, spends $200,000 to $300,000 out of his pocket to help his teammates,” A few months ago, newly crowned UFC bantamweight king Belal Muhammad echoed this in a candid interview, sharing how after his win against Gilbert Burns, Eagle invited him to Abu Dhabi for training alongside his team. Muhammad recalled, “He filled the kitchen with groceries and everything we needed.”
‘The Eagle’ made the difficult decision to say goodbye to his unblemished MMA career with a record of 29-0-0, cementing his legacy in the promotion and stepping into the role of coach at a young age. This leaves fans wondering how Nurmagomedov’s father would have reacted to his son’s choice if he were still here. His accomplishments in coaching seems to have adequately addressed that concern
As fans know, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s hard work as a coach has already propelled the career of Islam Makhachev, and now his younger cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, is closing in on a bantamweight title shot against Merab Dvalishvili. Meanwhile, Umar’s younger brother, Usman Nurmagomedov, recently became the Bellator lightweight champion. But what many don’t know is that amid all this success, Team Khabib is already preparing to launch the next generation of fighters, grooming a successor to Islam Makhachev.
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Who’s the new ‘warrior’ from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team?
In 2016, when coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was alive, Khabib Nurmagomedov was just a few fights away from claiming his UFC lightweight title, while Islam Makhachev had recently made his UFC debut. At the same time, Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov were gearing up for their own MMA career debut. In the midst of all this, a 17-year-old named Amru Magomedov was watching these legends, driven by the dream of one day becoming like them.
Fast forward to today, Amru Magomedod has carved out his own path as a successful MMA fighter, currently holding the lightweight title in the UAE Warriors promotion. When asked recently by a MMA media outlet about Magomedov’s potential UFC debut, Team Khabib’s head coach, Javier Mandez, hinted at a bright future for the young fighter, stating, “Yes, Amru Magomedov is ready for big things. 100% ready in July, he will defend his belt in UAE and then I expect that we will soon see him in big things promotions. I have high expectations from him in terms of skills.”
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There’s more to this story. At least among fans, the expectation is that Usman Nurmagomedov will step up to the mantle after Islam Makhachev and go for the UFC lightweight strap. The young gun is only 26 and is far from his prime, which they might be saving for the UFC. He is now happy at Bellator and not looking for a move. That plot could change fast once Makhachev decides to move on. So, it’s safe to say that Coach Khabib has all his bases covered.
What are your thoughts on Ali Abdelaziz’s statement about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coaching skills? Do you believe he will surpass his father, or not? Drop your opinion below.
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Khabib spends $300K on his team—Is this the mark of a true champion or just extravagance?
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