Khabib celebrates his UFC victory with his father. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
The atmosphere before one of the biggest clashes in the history of the world's biggest MMA event could have weighed heavily on Khabib Nurmagomedov , but the Russian found the necessary guidance to maintain his focus in his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. On the eve of his duel against Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018, the former lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg) received advice that helped him deal with all the pressure surrounding the fight.
In an interview with the YouTube channel 'Lex Fridman', Khabib said he didn't care about the opinion of the millions of fans who followed the fight. For him, only his father's assessment mattered.
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“I didn’t care about the opinion of millions of people watching the fight. I only cared about one person and his opinion: my father. My father knew exactly where to draw the line. My father kept me grounded. He said, ‘You have a choice. You can fall apart and give up, or you can go through all this with dignity, go there, win, and settle this once and for all,’” said Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The relationship between the two was fundamental to the Russian's career. Abdulmanap not only oversaw his technical training, but also played an important role in his son's mental development, especially during moments of high pressure.
Russia vs. Ireland reignites historic rivalry in the UFC.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) faces Conor McGregor (right). Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC.
UFC 330 will feature a main event: the welterweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry . Beyond the title bout, the fight also revives a rivalry that marked one of the most emblematic periods in the organization's recent history: Russia versus Ireland.
A disciple of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the leading representative of the Dagestani fighting school today, Makhachev carries on the legacy left by the former undefeated lightweight champion. On the other side, Garry emerges as the main Irish star of the new generation and seeks to repeat the prominence that Conor McGregor brought to the country during his meteoric rise in the event.
Although lacking the personal rivalry that marked the historic confrontation between Khabib and McGregor, the duel puts Russia and Ireland back in the spotlight of the UFC. This time, in addition to national pride, the welterweight title and a prominent position at the highest level of the sport will be at stake.
Khabib Nurmagomedov's history in professional MMA.
Khabib celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
Khabib is considered one of the greatest fighters . The Russian ended his career in October 2020, shortly after submitting Justin Gaethje and defending his lightweight title for the third time at UFC 254. Retired undefeated, 'The Eagle' left the sport with a perfect record of 29 wins, eight by knockout, 11 by submission, and 10 by decision. He defeated Conor McGregor , Dustin Poirier , Rafael dos Anjos , and Edson Barboza.
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