Khabib Nurmagomedov issues five-word response to cousin Usman Nurmagomedov's confident "I'm gonna beat him" challenge in Padel
Khabib Nurmagomedov may have retired from competing inside the octagon, but he certainly doesn't shy away from competition off the mat.
The AKA head coach, Javier Mendez recently posted a video on Instagram that shows Usman Nurmagomedov issue a playful challenge to 'The Eagle'. In the video, the current Bellator lightweight champ, alongside Amru Magomedov, proclaimed that they would beat Khabib Nurmagomedov and their mutual manager Ali Abdelaziz in the game of padel, a popular racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash.
Mendez captioned the video, asking fans if they agreed with Usman Nurmagomedov’s bold claim. However, in the same caption, he revealed that the Bellator star & Amru were in fact beaten by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Ali Abdelaziz in the match.
The former UFC lightweight champion reposted the video on his Instagram story with a five-word caption:
"This kids not my level)))"
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s lighthearted yet confident response to his cousin's challenge is the perfect example of their team's playful dynamic. It also gives MMA fans a glimpse of the fun rivalry and camaraderie behind the scenes.
Paul Hughes wants Conor McGregor in his corner in a potential matchup against Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin
Paul Hughes scored an upset win over former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month. The Irish prospect improved his record to 13-1 with that performance and called for a title showdown with reigning Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in the post-fight interview.
But with Usman’s cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov in the corner, Hughes expressed his desire to have Conor McGregor in his corner, which could reignite one of the most intense and bitter rivalries in MMA history. During a media interaction post-fight, Hughes said:
"Conor, someone clip this, Conor, I want you in my corner for that fight. 100%. How cool would that be? It really really, I mean, we might need some extra security that night."
Watch Paul Hughes' request for Conor McGregor to be in his corner (8:05):
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor faced off in what is considered the biggest fight in MMA history at UFC 229 back in 2018. The highly-anticipated showdown ended with the Dagestani securing a dominant fourth-round submission victory over the Irish megastar, but the aftermath left lingering animosity between both camps.