Khabib Nurmagomedov puts fighters "in jail" and takes their phone away if they go out of line, says Javier Mendez
Khabib Nurmagomedov's longtime coach Javier Mendez revealed that 'The Eagle' puts fighters on house arrest if they deviate from his customary or prescribed course during fight preparation.
Ever since he announced his retirement from fighting owing to the tragic demise of his late father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the former UFC lightweight champion has filled his shoes by adopting the role of a coach.
Coach Khabib commands strict discipline and is invested in his athlete's performance, which is visible through his impassioned reactions cageside.
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All of @TeamKhabib's reactions to Islam Makhachev's UFC fights 👀
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Mendez discussed how Khabib Nurmagomedov has established a curfew when it comes to their use of technology during a recent episode of The Schmozone:
"That's what Khabib does to the fighters. When he finds out they are super tired, he'll curfew for them... I think it was 10 or 11 PM. He would go collect their phones. He has a jail at home when they go out of line, he puts them in jail."
Mendez added:
"He takes their phones away and puts them in jail. He's very strict. You get out of line, you're going in the wrong area, he's going to... because that's what his father did."
'The Eagle' scored the biggest victory as a coach when Islam Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 to become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.
Watch the full episode below:
Javier Mendez compares Khabib Nurmagomedov to his late father in terms of coaching style
Khabib Nurmagomedov's unprecedented MMA career has successfully transitioned into his coaching endeavors. Athletes under his wing are flourishing as champions and viable contenders in some of the biggest MMA promotions in the world.
His next assignment as a coach will be when Usman Nurmagomedov challenges Patricky Pitbull for the lightweight belt in the upcoming Bellator 288 on Nov.18, 2022.
In the aforementioned podcast, Javier Mendez claims that he sees similarities in the coaching style of Khabib Nurmagomedov and his father:
"I see his father in him, over and over. How much he loves the fighters, they are his brothers, he loves them so much that for him he will do whatever he can to set them straight. That's what his father did. That's why I said his father was a great humanitarian. His father was about forgiving everybody, learning and he gave up so much. I see that in Khabib."