Back in 2012, Khabib Nurmagomedov from the remote villages of Dagestan flew into the United States with a sole motive – to be the greatest fighter in the world. Seven years later, the humble Dagestani kid retired from the sport unbeaten with the UFC gold as a global superstar, inspiring millions in his home country to follow in his footsteps.
Appreciating ‘The Eagle’s’ work, UFC middleweight Sharaputdin Magomedov shared a few words on how Khabib opened the path for hordes of fighters from Russia to board planes to try their luck in the UFC.
Speaking to Denis Geiko of Red Corner MMA, Magomed gave his thoughts on when the sport actually started booming in Dagestan.
” Nobody thought it would reach such a high level of professionalism and the fighter’s pay would be that good that it would become a show business. Nobody could foresee that back then. Khabib was paving the way in the dark on his own as if he had a lamp in his hand and we were just watching him trailblaze that path in America.”
The middleweight was spot on with his take. Nurmagomedov took the risk and flew to America without even knowing the language. He showed his elite skills and honed them in gyms like K-Dojo in New Jersey where he was suggested to take his training to AKA, California under the tutelage of Javier Mendez.
By this time, Khabib had already become a superstar in the UFC and Dagestan. He single-mindedly dedicated his time and energy to become the greatest ever and that earned him an unblemished record and a fortune, inspiring many like Sharaputdin Magomedov to take up fighting.
Magomedov even says that just Nurmagomedov’s virtues could get one through life as he hails the former lightweight champ as an “encyclopedia.”
Khabib is a ‘Guru’ of not just MMA but in life as well
Khabib’s work ethic and disciplined lifestyle could transform any individual if it is imparted correctly. Budding fighters and veterans of the sport all look up to the Russian. He has been called a generous man by coach Javier Mendez. Even when he didn’t have money, Khabib would help others out.
According to Mendez, people change when they get a lot of money but Khabib only changed for the better. The former UFC champion has often reportedly booked hotels for entire fight camps and paid for everybody’s everything. So needless to say he isn’t just a great fighter but also a good human being who likes giving back to the sport and society at large.
This is why for ‘Bullet’, ‘The Eagle’ is an encyclopedia, a world of knowledge that inspires him to be a better version of himself. In fact, he even says that one should look at Khabib and learn how he deals with life.
And Magomedov isn’t completely wrong here, despite retiring from the sport, his presence in Islam Makhachev’s corner got the current LW champion over Dustin Poirier.
