"Those guys would have jumped on DC" - Javier Mendez recalls when Daniel Cormier was almost attacked by the Dagestanis training at AKA for "goofing around" with Khabib Nurmagomedov
It goes without saying that Khabib Nurmagomedov has had a huge influence on the aspiring fighters hailing from Dagestan. It was 'The Eagle' who put the mountainous region on the global map through his heroics in the UFC.
Following Nurmagomedov's footsteps, a slew of fighters from Dagestan pursued a career in MMA. Many of them joined the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), where Nurmagomedov trained under the tutelage of coach Javier Mendez for eight years.
The star-studded roster at the gym also included Daniel Cormier, whose playful interactions with Khabib Nurmagomedov have often gone viral on social media.
Detailing one such incident where Cormier was "goofing around" with the former UFC lightweight champion, Mendez said 'DC' could have been attacked by the other Dagestanis at AKA as they failed to comprehend the lightheartedness in the hilarious encounter between Cormier and Nurmagomedov.
"They are a family. That's why when you get in trouble with one, you got in trouble with the whole (Dagestani) pack," said Mendez on his podcast uploaded to YouTube. "It isn't one of those things where you can't single one out. Especially if you think you can jump on Khabib, oh yeah, go ahead... I remember one time DC was goofing around and they swarmed around DC. I kid you not, it was a joke, but I could tell if they got serious with Khabib, those guys would have jumped on DC. They would have jumped on him. The only reason why I might be safe is because they all respect me."
Watch Mendez narrate the incident in the video below (from 1:20:50):
Khabib Nurmagomedov is actively training Dagestani fighters at AKA
Post-retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov has made sure to help his teammates grow at AKA. The 32-year-old was frequently training at the gym before he left the United States earlier this month.
Also cornering the likes of Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Abubakar Nurmagomedov, and more, 'The Eagle' has maintained an unblemished coaching record of 7-0 in 2021.
However, Khabib Nurmagomedov is certain that he will not become a full time coach anytime soon. The 29-0 retired fighter currently plans to expand his own MMA promotion, the Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC).