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Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from MMA with an impressive 29-0 record, which comprised a 13-0 run in the UFC. Such numbers in a sport as unpredictable as mixed martial arts are tough to replicate, especially at the highest levels of competition in the UFC organization.
Certain sections of the combat sports community argue that 'The Eagle' retired prematurely. Regardless of what one's views are on that debate, the fact remains that Nurmagomedov is still very much connected to MMA. He trains and helps coach his friends and relatives, akin to how his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, did over the course of his life.
Nurmagomedov primarily coaches fighters from his native Dagestan. He also trains and shares his knowledge at the AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) gym in California, in addition to learning more coaching nuances from his own longtime coach Javier Mendez.
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Today, we examine whether Khabib Nurmagomedov's legacy as an MMA coach could be bigger than his 29-0 MMA record.
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#5 Contributions to Dagestan
The 2024 calendar year was filled with ups and downs for Khabib Nurmagomedov. He faced allegations of tax evasion in his native Russia and was reportedly at risk of facing legal action over the same if he returned there. The issues were reportedly solved later in the year. Additionally, Russian authorities raided his gym over a deemed terrorist having trained there.
Regardless, Nurmagomedov's team consistently maintained that the ex-UFC lightweight champion was innocent. For his part, 'The Eagle' has continued helping his fellow Dagestani MMA fighters train for their respective fights and hasn't let the setbacks affect his commitment toward Dagestani combat sports.
Two key elements at play here are that, firstly, Khabib Nurmagomedov is an all-time great sports icon for the region of Dagestan and the nation of Russia as a whole. Secondly, he's proven himself to be a person who's willing to share his knowledge with the next generation of fighters.
As such, his work as a combat sports coach, particularly in the MMA realm, could greatly help Dagestan and even outshine his MMA career.
#4 Premature retirement and retirement 2.0?
Khabib Nurmagomedov's father and mentor, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, passed away in July 2020. Nurmagomedov competed just once thereafter, submitting Justin Gaethje in their UFC lightweight title unifier in October 2020. He then announced his MMA retirement, citing that his mother didn't want him to compete without his father by his side.
A number of fans and experts often argue that though Nurmagomedov boasted a rare level of dominance and retired with an unbeaten MMA record, his retirement was premature, and his longevity as a champion remained unproven. Many critics also point out that in his title reign, he didn't compete as frequently as most expected him to.
Well, he's time and again emphasized that he won't ever return to professional MMA competition. Considering that, Nurmagomedov's coaching legacy could help him somewhat make up for, what many believe, was a premature end to his MMA career.
In a recent conversation with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Khabib Nurmagomedov made an allusion to the fighters he grew up with, such as the likes of reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. He seemed to suggest that once Makhachev and some of the others from their crop are done competing at the highest levels, he could retire from coaching too:
"When these guys finish, I'm going to finish. I hope it's going to be very fast. I'm tired of all this."
Honestly, Nurmagomedov's success as a coach might make him reconsider his decision. It make him commit to being a coach on a long-term basis for the years to come.
#3 Helping relatives and friends
MMA legend Chael Sonnen has often hinted at a tenet of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the other Dagestani combatants associated with him, which entails that loyalty and helping one another is paramount. Loyalty is the bedrock of Team Nurmagomedov and seldom does his gym forget that.
In his post-retirement phase since 2020, Nurmagomedov has traveled to various parts of the world, partaken in a myriad of events, and tried his hand in the business realm as well. However, he's also ensured that he devotes time and energy to training with and coaching some of his closest friends and relatives.
A notable example is that 'Coach Khabib' has lately been going all out to help his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov and friend Islam Makhachev prepare for their respective title fights at UFC 311 (Jan. 18, 2025). While Nurmagomedov's coaching career is helping him aid the Dagestan combat sports community overall, on a personal level, it's also benefitting his closest relatives and friends.
#2 Honoring the legacy of the late great Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov notably served in the Russian military, in addition to spending the majority of his life imparting the wealth of combat sports knowledge he'd accrued. He gained considerable recognition among the broader combat sports audience, owing to his son Khabib Nurmagomedov's success in the UFC organization and the sport of MMA.
Nevertheless, many believe that Abdulmanap's legacy stretches far beyond merely coaching his son. Abdulmanap passed away in 2020, but his contributions to the combat sports realm -- be it judo, combat sambo, MMA, and beyond -- would live on forever.
As reported by Red Corner MMA, veteran referee Marc Goddard recently recounted the late great MMA coach's aura and the respect he commanded in the fight game. The Englishman explained that he'd once refereed a fight featuring Roman Kopylov, a current UFC middleweight, in another promotion.
Apparently, Kopylov had inflicted considerable damage on his Dagestani foe who was coached by Abdulmanap. Goddard indicated that some people in the fight game, including many in Russia, view retiring one's fighter on their stool as an undesirable decision. Regardless, he implied that Abdulmanap always cared about his fighters' well-being above all and retired his fighter on the stool:
"He [Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov] had an aura ... People think that Abdulmanap, everyone knows him because of Khabib ... but his years and years of countless, his lifetime's work in combat sambo coaching before that was there before him."
Goddard also alluded to how Abdulmanap's coaching legacy extended way beyond merely coaching Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ergo, Nurmagomedov's current work as a coach could be a great way of honoring his father's legacy.
Watch Goddard discuss the topic below:
#1 Khabib Nurmagomedov's motivation
Presently, reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is booked to defend his title in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan in the headlining match at UFC 311 this Saturday. Meanwhile, Umar Nurmagomedov is set to face UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili for his title in the card's co-headlining match. The early prelims have flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov facing Clayton Carpenter.
During his recent interview with Brett Okamoto for ESPN MMA, Khabib Nurmagomedov underscored the worries and great responsibilities that come with the task of coaching. He has coached and will corner Islam, Umar, and Tagir at UFC 311. He also highlighted its positive side, signaling that preparing his teammates for their elite-level matchups motivated him to train:
"This is give me motivation too. I wanna be on shape too. I train with these guys. I'm like, these fights are like -- I wanna be like shape fight too on this night, not only talking."
Khabib Nurmagomedov's coaching obligations play a pivotal role in motivating him to train despite his busy schedule of public appearances, coaching, and miscellaneous duties. His coaching legacy and commitments have ensured that he still adheres to his training regime and isn't going down the route of self-destruction that many other sports legends do after their athletic careers end.
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov's assessment below (8:40):
