"Small guy, like 24 kilo" - When Khabib Nurmagomedov reminisced about young Islam Makhachev becoming champion for the first time
In an older interview, Khabib Nurmagomedov gave an account of his first meeting with Islam Makhachev, which was more than twenty years ago.
'The Eagle' said:
"You know what's interesting? It was 2000, 21 years ago. We were going to the same school with Islam, and he was like younger than me, like 3 years. And in the gym, they go to one tournament in another city, he and my big brother Shamil. They go like 15 people, only two people became champion - Islam and Shamil. Okay Shamil becomes champion, I understand. But who are you? (referring to Makhachev) who are you? He's like small guy, 24 kilo, he comes back with the gold medal, you know. Since that time and now, 20 years, the guy keeps doing the same thing...winning, winning, winning."
Check out the clip here:
It's no surprise then, that Khabib Nurmagomedov has continued to believe and invest in Islam Makhachev. 'The Eagle' famously once said that Makhachev was the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's favorite student.
He also went on to add that the late Abdulmanap, his father, "really believed" in Islam Makhachev. In fact, it was commonly known that one of Abdulmanap's wishes was to watch Islam Makhachev succeed Khabib as the lightweight champion of the world.
Khabib Nurmagomedov terms Islam Makhachev the 'best fighter in the world today'
Following Makhachev's incredible performance against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294, where the Dagestani knocked out Volkanovski with a brutal head kick in the very first round, 'The Eagle' took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt message, which, when translated from Russian, read:
"Best fighter in the world today 🔝Love you Brother and congratulations @islam_makhachev"
In the rest of the caption, Nurmagomedov explained his absence from Makhachev's corner at UFC 294. Stating that he was done with MMA, he went on to say that he had "completely left everything related to mma."
Finally, he also went on to say that what his team had achieved on the night with Islam Makhachev's victory would "forever be in the history of MMA."
Check out the post here:
Despite Khabib naming Islam as the best fighter in the world, the pound-for-pound rankings continue to hold Jon Jones at #1, with Islam Makhachev being ranked after him at #2.