Khabib Nurmagomedov's $600 act of kindness detailed by fellow UFC fighter - "He's a true person"
Khabib Nurmagomedov has been widely praised for his character, with UFC welterweight title challenger Belal Muhammad corroborating these accounts. During a recent appearance on the Money Loyalty Legacy podcast on YouTube, Muhammad touched on Nurmagomedov's kindness.
According to 'Remember the Name,' the UFC Hall of Famer is one of the most genuine people he's encountered, not just in the MMA world but in general. He described the lengths that Nurmagomedov would go to show his appreciation for those in his circle.
"He bought me, like, $600 pair of shoes, from like Hermes. I'm like, 'Bro, I don't even wear name brand stuff.' We just went shopping in California, and he's just like, 'I want to get you a gift,' and I was like, 'Bro, I don't want you to give me this gift. I don't need to, I don't wear them.' But he got me them anyway."
The foundation of this relationship, though, isn't based on entitlement. All Nurmagomedov asks of those he helps is their support in training camps.
"It's never like, 'I did this for you. You owe me this or that or this.' Even with that, when he called me to ask me if I can come down, I was like, 'Oh, you know my ankle's kind of hurt.' And he's like, 'Oh, no, brother. If you're hurt you have to come.' It was not like, 'I got you a room, you owe me this.' It's never like that with him and that's what I love about it because he's a true person."
Check out Belal Muhammad's account of Khabib Nurmagomedov's kindness (37:42 and 38:17):
Whether Muhammad will enlist Nurmagomedov's help for his upcoming welterweight title fight with 170-pound champion Leon Edwards remains to be seen. However, as it is the biggest fight of his career, one he has been chasing for some time, Muhammad will likely use every resource available to him.
Belal Muhammad and Khabib Nurmagomedov first trained together ahead of UFC 280
Khabib Nurmagomedov's friendship with Belal Muhammad peaked ahead of UFC 280, with 'The Eagle' helping the streaking welterweight for his matchup with then-unbeaten Sean Brady. In Abu Dhabi, 'Remember the Name' had one of his finest performances, TKO'ing Brady in round two.
It was Muhammad's first finish in three years. Nurmagomedov's role in the former's performance has been widely praised, as 'Remember the Name' is often criticized for not finishing enough of his fights.