Issue 169

August 2018

Faith will always come before a fist fight for Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is undefeated in 25 fights, holder of the UFC lightweight crown and ranks alongside the likes of flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, as one of the sport’s most dominant players.

For while his drive inspires him to perfect his fighting, the Dagestani has an even greater quest to become a more rounded human being. Training in San Jose, under the watchful guidance of Javier Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy, the devout Muslim prays several times daily and also attends mosque every Friday in the Californian city.

The 29-year-old, who neither drinks nor smokes, seeks to elaborate. “You can’t say, ‘I’m the champion’ inside the cage and leave it at that,” he explains. “You have to be one outside the cage, too. This is my goal. We see a lot of guys who are very good inside the cage. But outside the cage, they’re garbage — very dirty guys.

“I watched Nate Diaz smoking marijuana on TV,” he continues. “I don’t want my kids smoking marijuana. Some people think we have to live like an animal. No. We’re here for a reason. I never drink or smoke. Not because I’m an athlete, but because I’m Muslim. I have a family, kids, friends, a job. I don’t want to be like this. I’m almost 30. How many years will I live? 70? 80? I don’t want to live crazy. I believe when I die, I’ll come before God and he’ll ask us about everything we’ve done, ask us, ‘Why did you do this?’”

Thus his adherence to Islam. It creates pillars for him around which he can construct his life.

“You go to the mosque because nobody’s perfect,” Nurmagomedov explained to the Los Angeles Times recently. “Everybody makes mistakes, and we have to ask Allah to forgive us. There is nothing else more important to me than being clear with Allah. And being clear with Allah is number one, the hardest thing in life.”

At home in Dagestan in southern Russia, he shares an apartment with his wife, two children and his mother and father, the latter his life-long coach. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his father, has not been able to come to the USA for several years due to visa issues, but the fighter is always in touch with the influential figure who plots his game plans with Mendez.

“Every time I talk to him, I get good energy, talking sport, business, life, everything,” Nurmagomedov says. “We always have something to talk about. But it’s hard not to see my parents.” Back in San Jose, though, the rituals never change for Khabib: training, prayer, eating and sleeping. Having recently been to Mecca to observe Hajj, he insists that his journey as a fighter is at one with his spiritual beliefs.

“It’s for peace, for good,” he reasons. “You don’t need to talk about it. Just do good things.”

Success in his career, meanwhile, is “like a dream come true.”

“I’m in MMA to become UFC lightweight champion, he says. “Undisputed, undefeated. There’s a lot still to come.”