‘Let’s be honest’ – Khabib Nurmagomedov names Conor McGregor during verbal assault on Irish MMA
Khabib Nurmagomedov has expressed his feeling towards Irish MMA – and it’s clear he’s not a fan. Khabib tore into the MMA scene in the country of Ireland, when comparing it to his native Dagestan as he previewed an upcoming blockbuster PFL fight. Khabib will be busy in January as a coach to three Dagestan MMA starsAFP Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov battles Ireland’s Paul Hughes for the Bellator lightweight world title on January 25. The fight is officially being billed as ‘Dagestan vs Ireland 2’, with the circumstances of the fight scarily resembling those of Conor McGregor vs Khabib in 2018, which was one of the UFC’s biggest-ever fight. A popular, ruthless, larger-than-life Irish fighter taking on an undefeated Dagestani champion – sounds familiar, right? Well Khabib, the UFC’s former lightweight champion, isn’t so sure about the comparison between the two regions. “Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” he said in an interview with PFL. “Let’s be honest. How many fighters do you know from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor. And who else?” Nurmagomedov is Khabib’s cousin and the brother of UFC star Umar Nurmagomedov, who contends for the bantamweight title on January 19 against Merab Dvalishvili. The 26-year-old made his professional MMA debut in March 2017, and is yet to lose any of his 18 fights, with eight of those victories coming by way of knockout and six via submission. “There is no fighter brother. You come to Dagestan, you can understand,” Khabib continued. “So many organisations don’t even sign Dagestan fighters because they worry that everyone can become a champion. Khabib will more than likely be in the corner of Usman come January 25Cooper Neill / Bellator “Let’s be honest. Dagestan level of MMA is here (up high). But Ireland level, not even half of Dagestan level.” Khabib, 36, retired from MMA in October 2020 after retaining the UFC’s lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He has since transitioned into a coaching role where he mentors both Nurmagomedov and his brother, Umar, as well as current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Coach Khabib has just entered one of the busiest months of his new role, with both Nurmagomedov’s and Makhachev having world title fights at the end of the month. Makhachev takes on Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC 311 on the same card Umar faces Dvalishvili. Khabib is expected to corner both men before coaching Nurmagomedov in his PFL bout against Hughes. Nurmagomedov vs Hughes is billed ‘Dagestan vs Ireland 2’PFL That event represents the first-ever MMA card to take place in Dubai, with the city’s first Champions Series World Title event held at the Coca-Cola Arena. The multi-year partnership between the PFL and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Dubai Sports Council (DSC) will position the country as a global hub for MMA. 27-year-old Hughes from Derry, Northern Ireland, became the first fighter since McGregor to win featherweight gold under the Cage Warriors banner in November 2022. He bounced back from breaking his hand four times at the start of his career to win his first pro MMA bouts, with his record now standing at 13 wins and one defeat. Hughes overcame American AJ McKee on the main card of Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA against Renan Ferreira in October. At the beginning of December, Hughes confirmed he would ‘100 per cent’ welcome UFC star Ian Machado Garry as his cornerman for the biggest fight of his career.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has expressed his feeling towards Irish MMA – and it’s clear he’s not a fan.
Khabib tore into the MMA scene in the country of Ireland, when comparing it to his native Dagestan as he previewed an upcoming blockbuster PFL fight.
Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov battles Ireland’s Paul Hughes for the Bellator lightweight world title on January 25.
The fight is officially being billed as ‘Dagestan vs Ireland 2’, with the circumstances of the fight scarily resembling those of Conor McGregor vs Khabib in 2018, which was one of the UFC’s biggest-ever fight.
A popular, ruthless, larger-than-life Irish fighter taking on an undefeated Dagestani champion – sounds familiar, right?
Well Khabib, the UFC’s former lightweight champion, isn’t so sure about the comparison between the two regions.
“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” he said in an interview with PFL.
“Let’s be honest. How many fighters do you know from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor. And who else?”
Nurmagomedov is Khabib’s cousin and the brother of UFC star Umar Nurmagomedov, who contends for the bantamweight title on January 19 against Merab Dvalishvili.
The 26-year-old made his professional MMA debut in March 2017, and is yet to lose any of his 18 fights, with eight of those victories coming by way of knockout and six via submission.
“There is no fighter brother. You come to Dagestan, you can understand,” Khabib continued.
“So many organisations don’t even sign Dagestan fighters because they worry that everyone can become a champion.
“Let’s be honest. Dagestan level of MMA is here (up high). But Ireland level, not even half of Dagestan level.”
Khabib, 36, retired from MMA in October 2020 after retaining the UFC’s lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
He has since transitioned into a coaching role where he mentors both Nurmagomedov and his brother, Umar, as well as current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Coach Khabib has just entered one of the busiest months of his new role, with both Nurmagomedov’s and Makhachev having world title fights at the end of the month.
Makhachev takes on Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC 311 on the same card Umar faces Dvalishvili.
Khabib is expected to corner both men before coaching Nurmagomedov in his PFL bout against Hughes.
That event represents the first-ever MMA card to take place in Dubai, with the city’s first Champions Series World Title event held at the Coca-Cola Arena.
The multi-year partnership between the PFL and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Dubai Sports Council (DSC) will position the country as a global hub for MMA.
27-year-old Hughes from Derry, Northern Ireland, became the first fighter since McGregor to win featherweight gold under the Cage Warriors banner in November 2022.
He bounced back from breaking his hand four times at the start of his career to win his first pro MMA bouts, with his record now standing at 13 wins and one defeat.
Hughes overcame American AJ McKee on the main card of Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA against Renan Ferreira in October.
At the beginning of December, Hughes confirmed he would ‘100 per cent’ welcome UFC star Ian Machado Garry as his cornerman for the biggest fight of his career.
