Scott Coker reveals one-to-one conversation with 'freaked out' Khabib Nurmagomedov
Bellator MMA CEO Scott Coker has shared a conversation he had with the UFC star and former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Coker made an appearance at the post-fight press conference for the Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event. During his time there, the 60-year-old was asked about 'The Eagle' being in attendance for the event.
Coker then revealed that the Dagestani was impressed with the production of the Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event.
"Khabib [had] never seen the production and the fans and he was freaking out... He kept telling me, 'This is unbelievable. I had no idea that, you know, something like this was happening in Japan.' And I said, 'You know, this is where it started, Khabib. This is where, you know, MMA and martial arts combat, it started here and it grew out through the rest of the world but there was a time when Japan had the best fighters in the world, the best production in the world, the best promotion in the world.'... He was really impressed... I think he was extremely excited and I think he'll be talking about Japanese MMA and Rizin and the show for a long time."
You can watch Coker speak about his conversation with Nurmagomedov from the 5:26 mark below:
Khabib Nurmagomedov was in attendance for the Bellator MMA vs. Rizin cross-promotion event that featured fights between athletes of the two promotions. Bellator went 5-0 against Rizin at the event.
you guys are the best🤝
Enjoy with my friend @ScottCoker
at @BellatorMMA and @rizin_PR show
Japan 🇯🇵 you guys are the best🤝 https://t.co/4XBnoWOeW3
Khabib Nurmagomedov speaks about his trip to Japan
Khabib Nurmagomedov visited Japan for the first time in his life. During his time there, 'The Eagle' attended the Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event where his teammate Gadzhi Rabadanov competed and won his fight.
Nurmagomedov uploaded a post on Instagram where he shared his feelings on the Japan trip and also congratulated Rabadanov for the victory.
"Japan was very interesting, it was the first time I visited this country, it's just a different world, I can't describe it with words. Congratulations, Gadzhi Rabadanov. You closed this team year with your performance and you managed to make it a bright win. This year is the most memorable for our team, we will remember it for a long time. It was amazing days in Japan," wrote Khabib Nurmagomedov. [via translation]