"Father doesn't want you to do that" - When Javier Mendez pleaded with Khabib Nurmagomedov not to use his striking skills against Al Iaquinta
Khabib Nurmagomedov was a force to be reckoned with during his stint in the lightweight division of the UFC.
'The Eagle' would often overwhelm his opponents with his superior grappling skills and then exhaust them with relentless pace and pressure to win the fight.
The Dagestani fighter competed for the UFC lightweight title against Al Iaquinta at UFC 223. During the clash, he was advised by his coach Javier Mendez not to engage in a striking contest with 'Raging Al'. Mendez told him to stick to the gameplan devised by his father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
"Hey, remember what I told you about getting invovled in that [striking]? Hey, we give him too many opportunities when we do it like that. Okay? Father doesn't want you to do that. I don't want you to do that. No one wants you to do that, okay? So, what are we going to do? Get back to what we're supposed to do. Yes, father plan. That's the best plan, okay? You're doing great when you do it. you give him an opportunity when you do it the other way... Go back to the father plan," said Javier Mendez between rounds.
Khabib Nurmagomedov followed his coach's advice and went on to completely dominate the 25-minute fight. 'The Eagle' cruised to a unanimous decision victory, with the three judges scoring the fight 50-44, 50-43 and 50-43 in the Dagestani's favor.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most dominant champions in UFC lightweight history
Khabib Nurmagomedov's run in the UFC's 155-pound weight class was nothing short of iconic. 'The Eagle' ran through one high-calibre fighter after another. Khabib built a nine-fight winning streak in the UFC that earned him a shot at lightweight gold.
The 32-year-old defeated Al Iaquinta to become the new lightweight king. He then went on to successfully defend his title against elite fighters like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
The Russian announced his retirement from the sport after defeating 'The Highlight' at UFC 254.