Ever since his retirement from professional fighting, the undefeated fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov is training his cousins and friends for their MMA careers. Interestingly, training under one of the best is having a good effect on their performances.
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‘The Eagle’ also places himself in the corner of his proteges for their fight and guides them to victory. Apparently, many bill it as cheating, having the former champion at the ringside during the fight. Because having one of the greatest minds of the sport in your corner is a huge advantage.
However, Nurmagomedov’s protégé and UFC flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov doesn’t agree with the naysayers. In an interview with Anatomy of a Fighter before his fight at UFC 272, Ulanbekov said, “I guess some may say it’s cheating.
“For me, it’s a huge motivation to have Khabib in my corner. Not too long ago, he was the pound-for-pound number one fighter on the planet,” he added.
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“And he is considered the greatest of all time. It’s a huge motivation and honor to have him in my corner. When people like Khabib, Islam, and Javier are in my corner, I have nothing to worry about.” Ulanbekov concluded.
However, having Nurmagomedov in the corner didn’t benefit Ulanbekov this time. The latter faced his first UFC defeat via a unanimous decision against Tim Elliott at UFC 272.
Meanwhile, Umar Nurmagomedov yet another protégé of UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov got his second start victory at the same pay-per-view.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has another undefeated fighter on the team
‘The Eagle’ is leading the team of Russian fighters in their respective MMA career. Some of the notable names training under Khabib Nurmagomedov are Islam Makhachev, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Abubakar Nurmagomedov.
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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – APRIL 07: Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia poses for a portrait backstage with his team after his victory over Al Iaquinta during the UFC 223 event inside Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The UFC lightweight fighter has gradually improved in the promotion. Many believe he is walking in Nurmagomedov’s footsteps and will soon rule the division; Makhachev is very close to receiving a title shot.
Meanwhile, yet another Dagestani undefeated prospect has entered the UFC. Khabib’s cousin Umar Nurmagomedov made his UFC debut with an undefeated record of 12-0.
Interestingly, he has won both of his UFC fights. So far, the Dagestan fighter has shown sheer dominance inside the UFC cage. No doubt, with ‘The Eagle’ on his side, Umar will also be a good prospect for the promotion in the future.
