Outside Source
While they are not blood-related, Makhachev and Nurmagomedov are probably more than family. Makhachev and Nurmagomedov grew up training together in the mountains of Dagestan, under the tutelage of Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap.
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As predicted by Abdulmanap, Makhachev took over the UFC’s lightweight division after Khabib’s (29-0) retirement. Makhachev also handed over his title to “The Eagle” while dedicating the win to Abdulmanap.
Khabib has since been a mentor and coach to Makhachev, who considers him an older brother. Makhachev holds Nurmagomedov in such high regard that he would stop fighting at the drop of a hat if the former lightweight champ asked him to. Makhachev says Nurmagomedov’s role in shaping his life extends beyond the gym.
He Did Everything for Me
“Khabib is like my older brother… If Khabib told me, ‘Hey, you have to stop tomorrow, no more fighting,’ I would listen to him. He’s the guy in our gym who takes care of us, who controls us, and wish us the best. He knows how to make champions. Not [only] in the gym, in my life he did everything for me,” Makhachev said on the “Weighin In” podcast.
Makhachev (27-1) seeks two-division glory after defending the lightweight title four times. Nurmagomedov will be in Makhachev’s corner when he challenges Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title at UFC 322 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. While Makhachev is riding a 15-fight winning streak in the UFC, Australia’s Maddalena (18-2) is riding an 18-fight winning streak overall.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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