"Bite him back" - Khabib Nurmagomedov on his father's savage reply when he had complained about wrestling a bear
![Khabib Nurmagomedov on his father's words about wrestling a bear [Image credits: @khabib_nurmagomedov via Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/793e7-16278872138868-800.jpg?w=500)
The story of Khabib Nurmagomedov wrestling a bear as a kid is one of the most well-known facts about the former UFC lightweight champion.
Ever since a video of him grappling with a bear surfaced online, Khabib Nurmagomedov has been asked about it in several interviews. In a March 2021 Q&A with Megan Olivi, Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed what his father told him when he expressed concern about battling the animal.
BJJ Fanatics shared the clip of Khabib's response in honor of their recent collaboration with the Dagestani fighter.
"When I begin training on mats in my village inside the house and when father put me wrestling with bear. When I told him, 'Hey, this bear tried to bite me', and I remember when he told me, 'Bite it back, no problem. You have to wrestle, you have to keep going.'" Khabib Nurmagomedov said.
Khabib Nurmagomedov teamed up with BJJ Fanatics a few weeks ago for the release of an instructional video.
'The Eagle' is hands down one of the best wrestlers that the world has seen in recent years. In a video with BJJ Fanatics, Khabib Nurmagomedov imparted knowledge about the tricks and techniques of the unique style of Dagestani wrestling. This innovative style of wrestling and control is what propelled Nurmagomedov to the top of the UFC's lightweight division.
The instructional video is titled Sambo: The Top Game - A Blue Print for "Smeshing" by Khabib Nurmagomedov and is available on the platform's official website at $197.
Khabib Nurmagomedov earned the disdain of PETA for wrestling with the bear
Fighters hailing from Dagestan have their own unique ways of training that do not always sit well with the outside world.
Khabib Nurmagomedov was only nine years old when he wrestled the bear.
Watch the video of 'The Eagle' grappling with a bear as a child below:
He encountered one again as a grownup, but this time the bear was chained to a pole. Khabib Nurmagomedov was seen tussling with the animal for a bit before petting and feeding it.
Watch the video below:
When Khabib Nurmagomedov shared the above video on his Instagram, he earned the scorn of the animal rights organization PETA. Their UK director Elisa Allen urged the UFC in a statement to distance themselves from Nurmagomedov in light of his activities.
"PETA encourages the UFC to evaluate its relationship with Mr. Nurmagomedov until he shows a clear change in attitude and a commitment to showing animals the respect that they deserve." h/t Business Insider.
Khabib Nurmagomedov had stated in a 2015 interview with Giannis P that the animal he grappled with was a 'wrestling bear,' which means they are like circus bears that are taught to wrestle by their trainers.