Khabib Nurmagomedov hasn’t fought in years. However, his presence feels bigger than ever. While most former champions fade into commentary booths or brief training appearances, ‘The Eagle’ has quietly built something much larger. Not just gyms or brands. He built a system.
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And now, that system is stretching far beyond Dagestan. Khabib Nurmagomedov just revealed a new partnership that will plant his flag in one of the world’s most in-demand destinations, Phuket, Thailand. However, this is not just about opening another facility. It’s all about scale.
Khabib Nurmagomedov takes his father’s legacy from the Dagestan mountains to Phuket shores
“Friends, as part of our partnership with Sun Hills Development, where Khabib Gym will become an integral part of the project’s infrastructure,” Khabib Nurmagomedov wrote on X. “We are launching in one of the most valuable locations in Phuket, a hub of international demand and strong investment potential.
The concept will be integrated across two key residential developments, Layan and Lakeside, creating a unified premium sports ecosystem.”
He was not presenting it as just another gym opening. To him, it was about building something bigger: real infrastructure. He defined Khabib Gym as the island’s future hub, where people could train in combat sports, focus on functional fitness, and learn from top-tier experts.
‘The Eagle’ also stated that he intends to be hands-on, stopping by frequently for training camps and seminars. For Khabib Nurmagomedov, it is about working at scale and building for the long term. And that long-term thinking has been consistent.
Last year, the UFC legend entered a multibillion-dollar joint venture with MultiBank Group with the goal of opening 30 Khabib gyms throughout the world while linking sports, finance, and digital assets through a regulated ecosystem.
Friends, as part of our partnership with Sun Hills Development — where Khabib Gym will become an integral part of the project’s infrastructure — we are launching in one of the most valuable locations in Phuket, a hub of international demand and strong investment potential.
The… pic.twitter.com/SaP2O7KzNE
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) February 23, 2026
The foundation upon which this expansion is built is what differentiates it from others. Back in Dagestan, in his native village of Sildi, ‘The Eagle’ built a mountain training center funded by his historic fight with Conor McGregor.
“Flew to America, took part in the biggest confrontation in the history of martial arts, beat up someone who I didn’t like (and they even paid me for it), and upon arrival home, invested it in this beautiful corner of Dagestan,” Nurmagomedov wrote on his Instagram story. “This training base has an interesting history.
And I would like to add one more thing: I will not recoup these investments in my life, and I did not and do not have a goal to do so. My goal was different.”
That goal was legacy, the same idea that his late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, had for decades. From the mountains of Dagestan to the beaches of Phuket, the blueprint is the same. Discipline. Structure. Opportunity. ‘The Eagle’ may have retired undefeated at 29-0, but in business, he’s still very much in the fight—only now, he’s creating something that will outlast him.
Nurmagomedov plans to build a gym in Gaza
“One of my dreams in this life, when they are going to have their own country and build a beautiful airport in Gaza… I open my school there,” Khabib Nurmagomedov said at an event hosted by the Miftaah Institute. “Bring some very good coaches, and train them.
I believe many tough athletes are going to come from there and represent their beautiful country.”
For a man who has built his whole career on discipline and resilience, the idea fits his pattern: invest in places where strength already exists but needs to be structured. From Sildi to Phuket and now potentially Gaza, the theme doesn’t change.
The UFC legend already coaches the likes of Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Usman Nurmagomedov, amongst others, and is looking to not keep the smothering Dagestani style of fighting limited to the Russian mountains.
He isn’t looking for quick returns. Khabib Nurmagomedov is building long-term roots. If his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, created warriors in a small Dagestani village, ‘The Eagle’ seems to be set on exporting that same model anywhere he believes grit and opportunity can meet.