Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most influential fighters of the last decade. ‘The Eagle’ played a key role in expanding the UFC in Russia, as well as the Middle East. Besides that, Nurmagomedov also brought with him a band of talented fighters from his hometown. Unbeknownst to many, ‘The Eagle’s’ father once revealed that Khabib was not the most talented fighter in the family.
In a throwback clip posted on Yuka MMA, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was asked if Khabib was the most talented ever since he was a child. In a brutally honest answer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov revealed a more talented member of the family. He said,
“Absolutely not. My eldest son was much more capable and smarter in studies as well. Khabib knows only three languages, his brother knows six. Khabib did two workouts, his brother did three. At a certain stage, he got tired of it. He was engaged in freestyle wrestling. It all depends on the person.”
In the interview, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov went on to reveal his son’s entry into the sport. He said,
“Khabib grew up slowly. He got on the mat early, almost after he was born. We had a gym on the ground floor. Khabib is often asked at what age he started. As soon as he started walking, he started training.”
Undoubtedly, fighters who have trained under Abdulmanap and Khabib have shown great dominance in their career. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at the Nurmagomedov clan and their fighters.
A closer look at Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team of fighters
Needless to say, at this point, ‘The Eagle’ is the most famous and accomplished fighter of his team. However, several fighters from his team have been trained by his father and are currently fighting.
At this point, Islam Makhachev is the current UFC lightweight champion. In addition to that, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousins Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov are also active fighters. Usman Nurmagomedov is a champion in Bellator MMA. Umar Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is a top-ranked bantamweight in the UFC.
While there are several active fighters from his team in different promotions, the aforementioned names are the names with the most potential. ‘The Eagle’ along with his cousins, were trained from a very young age and molded under the able guidance of his father. If things go according to plan for Eagle’s MMA, by the end of next year, the team should have two active champions in the UFC.
