Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former UFC champion, has always been the type of person who never hesitates to express himself. However, this trait did occasionally cast him in a negative light. But Nurmagomedov was unfazed by the criticism and remained the same. Similarly, in 2021, ‘The Eagle’ earned a lot of flak from certain fans and major MMA figures for his remarks on ring girls. Ebanie Bridges, a former ring girl who is now a professional boxer, was among many who criticized the Russian MMA star.
The statements of Nurmagomedov did not sit well with ‘The Blonde Bomber.’ Thus, by comparing incomes, she delivered a harsh reality check to the ex-UFC fighter.
What did Ebanie Bridges say to Khabib Nurmagomedov?
After retiring from professional fighting, Khabib Nurmagomedov founded his own promotion, Eagle FC. His MMA promotion included a new weight class as well as a few other changes. However, there were no ring girls.
When asked about it during a news conference in 2021, ‘The Eagle’ remarked that ring girls serve no purpose in the sport. As a result, he considered them ‘useless’ because the number of rounds was already displayed on the screen.
His statements, however, caused a backlash, and Nurmagomedov was vilified by numerous individuals, including Ebanie Bridges. In an interview with Pub Talk in 2022, the female fighter slammed the Russian celebrity. She said:
“I don’t want to offend anyone. Ring girls are the most useless people in martial arts. What is their function? I have a question. You can show it is the second round that is on the screen. Do they develop the sport? I realise that it is a history. History knows many mistakes. We read history to avoid mistakes of the past in the future. If we look in the history, it says they are useless. That is my personal opinion.”
‘The Blonde Bomber’ was a ring girl in her early days. Bridges said she earned considerably more than fighters as a ring girl. Interestingly, now she has a net worth of over a million as an Only Fans model in addition to fighting.
How much is Nurmagomedov worth now?
According to various online reports, UFC competitors are often paid $10,000 to compete and $10,000 to win. Their income, however, eventually grows based on their popularity and with additional bonuses.
Having said that, even Nurmagomedov would have begun his UFC career on a low salary. As a result, Bridges may have a point about earning more than fighters. However, with his dominating performances and captivating character, ‘The Eagle’ rose to prominence and gained worldwide popularity.
As a result, he made much more money during his career. One of his biggest paydays occurred in 2018, four years before Bridges’ interview, when he defeated Irish superstar Conor McGregor.
Nurmagomedov earned more than $6 million from the bout. Following his retirement, ‘The Eagle’ started many enterprises and is now worth more than $40 million. Bridges may have had a point, but Nurmagomedov is now well ahead in terms of money.
What are your thoughts on Ebanie Bridges’ comparison? What do you guys think about Nurmagomedov’s career?
