Tagir Ulanbekov became the 1st Dagestani fighter to win his fight at UFC 311 on Saturday night. After defeating Clayton Carpenter by a Round 3 decision in the prelims, Ulanbekov dedicated his win to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the late father and coach of Khabib.
Ulanbekov reflected on his journey and the profound impact Abdulmanap had on his life and credited him for taking him in.
“I would like to dedicate this victory to my late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov…You should’ve seen me when I just started, when I came to his camp. I was 15 years old. I weighed (97 pounds), and if he looked at me, he probably thought I was disabled.”
Tagir Ulanbekov dedicates his #UFC311 win to the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
“You should’ve seen me when I just started, when I came to his camp. I was 15 years old. I weighed (97 pounds), and if he looked at me, he probably thought I was disabled.” pic.twitter.com/gnBQE03nXL
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 19, 2025
According to reports, Ulanbekov battled with a lot of sickness as a child. His uncle took him to a wrestling center at the age of 8 and he picked up the sport.
However, it was only when he moved to Makhachkala (Islam Makhchev’s hometown) that things truly began changing for him. He joined Abdulmanap’s gym and slowly but steadily, grew as a fighter.
Team Khabib is known for its close-knit bond, a brotherhood that extends far beyond the octagon. Ulanbekov, like many others, spent their entire childhood training under Abdulmanap, who was not just a coach but a father figure to them. His philosophy, famously referred to as ‘Father’s Plan,’ emphasized discipline, hard work and unity.
Since Abdulmanap’s passing, Khabib has taken on the mantle of leadership, ensuring that his father’s legacy continues to thrive. Following the fight, Ulanbekov even credited coach Khabib and Javier Mendez for coming up with the perfect plan for achieving a win, a plan he asserted sticking to till the final bell rang.
Khabib instructed Ulanbekov to attack when he told him to
The Dagestani camp has traditionally been the mecca of wrestling and combat sambo. This means, all its fighters love taking the fight to the ground as soon as they get an opportunity. However, Ulanbekov was told to stay on his feet until his corner instructed otherwise.
This is why he began the fight getting into a striking contest with Carpenter; an unusual method that left the commentators confused.
He later explained the idea behind the approach during the post-fight interview.
“My coaches Khabib, Javier Mendez, they said first round try to stand up with him, see how it is…And then we’ll let you know when it’s time to take him down.”
Hopefully, this was just the beginning for the flyweight fighter. There will be tougher fights to come in the days ahead but if he is anything like the rest of his teammates, he will be fine.
