The rugged mountains of Dagestan, Russia, forged an unbreakable bond between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. Their paths crossed when Makhachev joined the gym of the late, legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov—Khabib’s father. From training partners to cornering each other through countless battles, their journey became the stuff of MMA folklore. But in July 2020, tragedy struck when Abdulmanap passed away after an illness, leading Khabib to retire from fighting later that year.

However, in retirement, he took up his father’s mantle and became the new coach, guiding Makhachev and others through every battle like his father once did. And just days from now, he’ll do it once again as the former lightweight champion, aiming to become one of the rare double champions in UFC, steps

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