Khabib Nurmagomedov’s no-nonsense approach to training extends to everyone in the gym—even his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Once it’s time to hit the mats, the boundaries are clear: coaches coach, fighters train, and managers stay in their lane.
Coach Javier Mendez, who trains the likes Islam Makhachev, Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov, posted a video where he’s seen asking Khabib why he was picking on Abdelaziz. The former UFC champion-turned-coach tells him it’s because Abdelaziz needs to understand his role in the gym.
“Coach because when he steps on the mat, he has to better be quiet and listen to coaches. We are coaches, he is not a coach. When you step on the mat like a student, shut up and train.”
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Mendez then pans the camera to Abdelaziz and asks him why Khabib was upset at him. Interestingly, Abdelaziz has a very different story. It turns out that the bastion of virtue, Khabib had actually lost to him in a sport and was taking out his frustrations on the mat.
Khabib, of course, jumps in again and asks him to keep quiet, reiterating that only coaches talk on the mat.
Whether Khabib is carrying out some personal vendetta against Abdelaziz or not, there is no denying that he is a very strict coach. So much so that his most accomplished pupil, who already sits on the verge of greatness, has often talked about how much he makes them work.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s ‘Try.Try.Try.’ video has gone viral quite a few times since it was first posted on social media in December 2024. Islam actually asked Khabib’s friend and former UFC champion Daniel Cormier to show up at their camp and try to control Khabib!
Islam Makhachev asked Daniel Cormier to come to the camp to help control Khabib, because he is pushing them too hard in training.
Islam: “Maybe you can come join us and control him a little bit because he doesn’t listen to Javier.”
DC: “He is just a psychopath nobody can… pic.twitter.com/kOl7UOR2TS
— MMA.PROS.PICK (@MMAPROSPICK) December 17, 2024
Now, that is legitimate fear in Islam’s eyes. And it doesn’t stop there either. Khabib is not just particular about how his teammates or pupils train, but also how they look.
Khabib’s pupils will have to keep a particular hairstyle
Yes, Khabib’s gym also has a strict haircut policy. Admittedly, he didn’t start it but it is to be adhered to. Otherwise, the wrestlers get hit with canes!
A video of the same went viral as well, some time ago. Although it wasn’t Khabib doing the inspecting and punishing, it was brutal to look at.
This is how students are punished for inappropriate hairstyles in Dagestan pic.twitter.com/m1tmkBCtVx
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) June 6, 2024
Now, if this is taking it too far, is subject to debate. But Khabib himself had the same haircut all his career and never lost a fight.
Other fighters from the gym like Islam and Usman are already on the cusp of greatness. So, while some may argue against it, the champions this gym has produced would make a compelling argument for ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
