UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov may have retired, but his influence remains strong through his family and teammates, including Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov, and Islam Makhachev. Years after ‘The Eagle’’s retirement, his students keep Dagestani dominance at the forefront of MMA.

‘Young Eagle’, a top bantamweight prospect, challenged reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili earlier this year but came up short. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev has cemented himself among the sport’s elite lightweights, following in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s footsteps. Next week at UFC 322, Makhachev will fight for a second belt, aiming to honor his mentor and region by potentially becoming a two-division champion with a welterweight title to go with his lightweight one.

With Makhachev’s career only about 1.5 to 2 yea

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