"Ali landed more strikes on Khabib than Conor" - Fans hilariously react to footage of Ali Abdelaziz taking on Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev in a 2 versus 1 sparring match
Khabib Nurmagomedov enjoys a great relationship with his manager and friend Ali Abdelaziz. The two have been together for a long time and shared some significant moments.
Recently, a video of Nurmagomedov training with Islam Makhachev and Abdelaziz was uploaded to Instagram. In the clip, the two fighters are seen mock sparring with their manager, two against one.
Abdelaziz is seen landing multiple leg kicks on the former lightweight champion, who jokingly warns him that he is in trouble before closing in on him with the same pressure he dominated his opponents in the octagon. Makhachev follows suit and closes the Dominance MMA founder from the other side.
Watch the light-hearted video on Instagram uploaded by @mmauncensoredpodcast:
Fans reacted to the video with multiple comments under the post. One fan referenced Conor McGregor's fight against Nurmagomedov, where the Irishman was kept in check with ease by 'The Eagle':
"Ali landed more strikes on Khabib than Conor 😹"
Another fan called for a fight between 'The Notorious' and Ali Abdelaziz in 2023:
"Ali Vs Conor 2023...who y'a got ?"
One fan scored the clip in favor of Abdelaziz by a landslide:
"Ali 10-7"
Another fan predicted that Islam Makhachev's performance against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 will be similar:
"Islam's gonna be backing up just like that before when goes down against Charles , too easy"
Check out the fans' comments on the video:
Khabib Nurmagomedov backs Islam Makhachev against Charles Oliveira
Islam Makhachev will fight his first championship bout against Charles Oliveira for the lightweight strap at UFC 280.
Former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is well-acclimatized to the demands of a title fight. 'The Eagle' defended his title thrice during his championship reign. Since his retirement, he has seamlessly transitioned to the role of coach towards Islam Makhachev and other Dagestani fighters.
In Makhachev's last fight against Bobby Green, Khabib Nurmagomedov instructed him until he got the finish. Similarly, against Dan Hooker, Nurmagomedov guided Makhachev through a perfectly executed submission move.
Watch these clips of 'The Eagle' expertly guiding Makhachev towards victory:
Khabib Nurmagomedov also wrote a lengthy caption in support of Islam Makhachev in a post on Instagram. He praised Charles Oliveira and acknowledged his abilities before promising to end the fight swiftly and put out a strong message.
"[Islam Makhachev] is coming out for this fight against the best fighter at the moment in UFC. Oliveira is the best fighter of 2022. He is one of the best, regardless of the weight category, also goes on a 12-win streak in the UFC. This fight will answer all questions. Someone reads history, and someone writes it. Prepare your excuses, we aim to win Oliveira ahead of schedule InshaAllah." [Translated by Google]
Check out Nurmagomedov's impassioned post for Makhachev: