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The latest guest on the Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson podcast was former UFC lightweight champion and pound-for-pound great Khabib Nurmagomedov. Along with co-host and former multi-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo, the athletes talked about the fight business and other aspects of their lives.
The main focus of the episode was, of course, Khabib Nurmagomedov. 'The Eagle' spoke about the various junctures of his life, his father, his rivalry with Conor McGregor, and a potential return to the octagon.
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In this article, we look at five things we learned from Khabib Nurmagomedov's appearance on Mike Tyson's Hotboxin' podcast.
Watch the full podcast below:
#5. How Khabib Nurmagomedov earned his UFC title fight
fter defeating Edson Barboza in 2017 and going 9-0 in the UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov earned a shot at the vacant UFC lightweight title. However, his journey wasn't as smooth as he had imagined, as most of his opponents were unwilling to fight 'The Eagle'.
Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed how the UFC could not finalize a single opponent until the day of the official weigh-ins. Khabib explained what went down behind the scenes and how his manager Ali Abdelaziz worked with UFC president Dana White to get Al Iaquinta to take the fight at the last moment. Khabib said:
"Iaquinta, Pettis, Holloway, Felder and Tony Ferguson - nobody showed up, you know? I remember, when I made weight (for the vacant UFC lightweight title fight) and they (the UFC) didn't have an opponent.. Every five minutes, they offer me an opponent, 'Can you fight with him? Can you fight with him?' And I was like, I didn't sleep all night because I was making weight. And I (switched) off my phone and I tell Ali (Abdelaziz), 'Please don't ask me about an opponent. Just find me someone. I'm gonna go sleep. When I wake up, I'm gonna need opponent.' And I remember. When I woke up, I said 'Hey, who's my opponent and he (Ali Abdelaziz said, 'Iaquinta.'"
Khabib Nurmagomedov went on to defeat Al Iaquinta at UFC 223 via decision, becoming the new UFC lightweight champion. Six months later, he faced Conor McGregor inside the octagon and successfully defended his belt.
#4. The three great athletes who inspired Khabib Nurmagomedov
The name Khabib Nurmagomedov has become synonymous with greatness. He took on some of the toughest fighters in the UFC during his tenure and retired as the undefeated, undisputed champion while also being at the top of UFC P4P rankings.
His father Abdulmanap's role is often highlighted in molding Khabib as an unstoppable force in combat sports. Be it combat sambo, wrestling or MMA, 'The Eagle' was always a step ahead of everyone else. The world knows Khabib's father to be the biggest inspiration in his life. However, three athletes have made a significant impact on the mind of the UFC superstar since he was a kid.
The three greats are Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Ronaldo Luis Nazario. Khabib Nurmagomedov said on Mike Tyson's Hotboxin' podcast:
"Three athletes who inspired me like crazy - it was Brazilian Ronaldo, Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali. I met two of them, but, I didn't have a chance to meet Muhammad Ali.. I hope, like next life [I get to meet him]. I really believe, next life, I'm gonna meet with him."
#3. Khabib's take on the Conor McGregor chapter
The rivalry between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor was popular worldwide. Handing 'Notorious' the most humiliating loss of his career helped Khabib become a household name. 'The Eagle' remembers the whole incident vividly.
Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke about it at length on the podcast, starting when Conor McGregor showed up at the UFC 223 event. The Irishman's infamous bus incident was in reply to Khabib slapping fellow Russian and McGregor's teammate Artem Lobov. For Khabib, though, the Irishman's actions were all for show. He said:
"You're going to war, you don't need a camera, you know? This is (just for) show. There's a lot of security. They (McGregor and co.) just come here to show up, like, promote the fight."
Khabib Nurmagomedov also revealed how he went straight to training camp after winning the UFC lightweight title because he knew he would fight Conor McGregor. However, 'The Eagle' said that he was disappointed to see the Irishman cave in during their fight, especially in front of his Irish fans. Khabib Nurmagomedov said:
"I was preparing so hard. When time came and inside the cage, when he said this to me.. 'Hey, it's only business'. It sounds like, when my father goes crazy with me, I try to make him stop, you know. It sounds like the same thing. And I was (like) 'What? I was preparing for this thing? I was preparing for war and when I come, I don't fight an opponent.. This made me empty."
Khabib Nurmagomedov explained that Conor McGregor tapping out so easily was one of the reasons why he jumped out of the octagon after the fight. He said:
"When I catch his (McGregor's) neck and I choke him, he tapped.. And I think, 'Hey, you bring thousands of people from Ireland here.. and you tap in front of them and you talk about (being a) warrior or something like this? How you can tap? Go sleep..' And he tap and I was like 'Okay it's not enough, I need something' and I see some of his cornermen talk with me. And I think 'Oh, I have to bite his (Dillon Danis) heart.'"
Watch the segment below:
#2. The most emotional moment of Khabib Nurmagomedov's life
The most emotional moment of Khabib Nurmagomedov's life was when he entered the UFC octagon after his father's death. Being a mentor, a coach, a friend, and a father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was the strongest force in Khabib's life. Losing him and competing in the UFC was visibly tough for 'The Eagle.'
Khabib explained what was going through his mind when he entered the UFC octagon for one last time against Justin Gaethje. Replying to Henry Cejudo on whether it was the most emotional moment of his life, Khabib said:
"Yeah, I think so. 24 October. That night was the most emotional moment for me, in my life. Because you know, it's like, that time my dream came true but without my father. I truly believe at the time I was on top of the MMA community.. I was the best in the world.. It was very emotional because it was not only my dream, it was also my father's dream."
Khabib Nurmagomedov also revealed that he was carried away with emotions after losing his father. According to 'The Eagle,' he wasn't listening to his coach during the fight. Nonetheless, Khabib submitted Justin Gaethje via triangle choke and defended his title for the third and last time at UFC 254.
#1. Khabib refused $100m for a boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from MMA after his fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. He explained he was never going to fight again without his father. However, the MMA community, especially Dana White, kept wishing for 'The Eagle' to make a comeback.
Khabib Nurmagomedov was asked about a rematch against Conor McGregor and a dream match-up against Georges St-Pierre, but Khabib never gave in. The UFC boss made it official in March 2021 that 'The Eagle' was "officially" retired.
During the podcast, Henry Cejudo revealed that Khabib even declined a $100m offer to fight Floyd Mayweather. Replying to Cejudo's claim, Khabib Nurmagomedov said:
"Because I don't wanna make boxing community upset with me."
Khabib Nurmagomedov mentioned that money was never a motivating factor for him in the fight business, and that he was in it for his legacy. He said:
"Of course, money makes sense too. But I never fight for money. In this business, I don't come to make money. I come here for legacy, you know. And a couple of months ago, Dana (White) sent a message to Ali (Abdelaziz) and said, 'Hey, why Khabib doesn't ask how much money I'm going to give him (for a comeback)?' And I was like, 'I'm not interested in how much money you're gonna give.. I already said I'm retired.'"
