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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – APRIL 07: Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia prepares to fight Al Iaquinta in their lightweight title bout during the UFC 223 event inside Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – APRIL 07: Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia prepares to fight Al Iaquinta in their lightweight title bout during the UFC 223 event inside Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Many people dream of making it big in MMA but don’t recognize the hard work and sacrifices it takes just to get a shot in the octagon. One of the biggest examples of success through hard work is the journey of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The former lightweight champion started training under his father’s guidance at the young age of eight. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s father, was a trained athlete in judo and sambo. ‘The Eagle’ transitioned from learning to wrestle, to judo, and sambo as he grew up.
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The 33-year-old lightweight fighter made his pro-MMA debut back in 2008. Since then, he has not lost a single match. In addition to capturing the UFC lightweight champion belt, he has amassed an undefeated record of 29-0.
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Behind his much-deserved worldwide fame is his intense training through blood, sweat, and tears. Recently, a rare video of his training has surfaced on the internet. The video dates back to 2012 and showcases ‘The Eagle’ training with Daniel Cormier and Luke Rockhold.
The training features him hitting the pads, wrestling, and working on his cardio and footwork. People in the comments quickly pointed out that all three fighters in the video were champions. In addition to Khabib, Daniel Cormier is a former UFC two-division champion and Luke Rockhold is a former UFC middleweight champion.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier: A beautiful friendship
The Dagestani fighter has been a part of the American Kickboxing Academy in California as his USA training home. In his training years at the AKA, he has not only gained fighting skills but some great friends. His teammate Daniel Cormier is on them. The two former champions have created a very wholesome bond with each other.
One of MMA’s greatest friendships 😂@dc_mma will be on commentary during @TeamKhabib's fight for the first time at #UFC254 (via @i_AmTheBay, @bokamotoESPN, @ufc) pic.twitter.com/1cXtMjnzO1
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 22, 2020
The banter between the two is pure gold. The internet is filled with many videos of them pulling each other’s legs. Even though Khabib is not fluent in English, D. C and his interactions are one of the best things to watch.
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Who do you think is the greatest lightweight of all time? Share your picks and thoughts in the comment section below.
