Just as women’s MMA has produced some of the sport’s biggest icons, one of its most legendary male figures, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has once again declared they don’t belong in the cage. Despite producing some of the highly accomplished fighters ever, like Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, and Amanda Nunes, and helping the sport grow, the former lightweight champion believes women shouldn’t pursue martial arts as a career.

‘The Eagle’ attended a press conference held by Sun Hills in Phuket, where a woman asked him a question about female participation in MMA.

“How do you personally feel when you go to the gym and get hit in the face? You haven’t been hit. But you don’t need that. But there are women who choose this sport. It’s their choice. They chose it. If you ask me, I wouldn’t choose this sport for women,” Khabib replied. “It’s brutal even for men, first of all. For women, I don’t even consider it. If they come to the gym and train to be able to defend themselves, there are women who think they can come, train, and if somebody attacks them, they defend themselves. Well, there are women like that; let them go and train, no problem.

“But for me, it’s wild that when a woman gets hit in the face, whether it’s a man hitting a woman or a woman hitting a woman, especially if the woman is a mother or has a couple of kids. She spends the whole day getting hit in the face and then comes home. Where I grew up, I didn’t see anything like that. Every person in the world has a mission. For a man, it is to raise children, take care of family, friends, and neighbors. There are very few women who take on these responsibilities. It’s very hard for them. It’s not without a reason. Even God created it this way. A woman is weaker, and a man is stronger.”

This is not the first time Khabib has expressed this view. In 2018, when asked a similar question, he told a reporter: “Be a fighter inside your home. All the time, finish your husband.” The remarks caused massive backlash at the time. Khabib is not alone among former champions in holding this position.

In the past, former two-division champion Georges St-Pierre also stated that he didn’t like seeing women fight each other because of his upbringing, though he admitted that women’s MMA is good. Former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate called St-Pierre’s comments “ignorant” in response.

Women competing in MMA is not the only aspect of the sport where Khabib has taken an unconventional position.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s controversial take on ring girls at MMA events

In combat sports history, ring girls have always played an important part in the overall grandeur and beauty of an event. However, time and again, their role has come into question, as many don’t find it necessary for a fighting event. One of them is Khabib Nurmagomedov, who believes ring girls are not essential to the sport.

For those unaware, the former UFC lightweight champion operated his own popular MMA promotion, Eagle FC, where many former UFC fighters like Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez competed. While Khabib maintained most of the aesthetics of a cage-fighting event, there were no ring girls to hold cards between rounds. Because of that, a reporter asked ‘The Eagle’ about their absence, and he explained that he believes they don’t add value to the event.

“Look, I don’t want to offend anyone. Ring girls are the most useless people in martial arts,” Khabib said at a press conference in Moscow. “What is their function? You can show that it is the second round on the screen. Do they develop the sport? Or do they help people see that it is the second round now? What are they doing? Tell me, please.

“These (women) are passing by and showing people that it is the second round. But no one looks at the (card they’re carrying). I feel uncomfortable with my father. I am not against it. But if you want to do it, don’t impose it on me; do it aside. There are designated places for it. I think we must not mix all of it. This is my private opinion.”

After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments picked up steam online, he faced backlash from fans for his controversial take. Even current flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko fired back at him for his remarks.

That said, what do you feel about Khabib’s perspective on women’s MMA?