Watch: Khabib Nurmagomedov talking to his opponents while fighting during his UFC career
Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely known for his dominance inside the octagon. However, 'The Eagle' often combined his physical strength with mental warfare.
Khabib Nurmagomedov had a notorious reputation for speaking to his opponents during fights. The most successful lightweight in UFC history was heard talking to Conor McGregor, Michael Johnson and even UFC president Dana White while competing inside the octagon.
The trend started when Nurmagomedov faced Michael 'The Menace' Johnson at UFC 205. While landing his vicious ground-and-pound strikes, the camera mic picked up audio from 'The Eagle.' Nurmagomedov said:
"You have to give up, hey! I need fight for the title. I need [to] fight for the title, you know this, I deserve it. You agree? Huh? Our of everybody, I deserve this."
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov talk to Michael Johnson below:
"Let's talk now!"
You know you're in trouble when @TeamKhabib starts talking 🦅
[ #UFC254 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] https://t.co/y7i4fHwMyi
Watch the full fight's highlights here:
UFC 205 was headlined by Conor McGregor, who later turned out to be Khabib Nurmagomedov's biggest rival in UFC. The fight eventually ended in Nurmagomedov's favor. He secured a submission victory over Johnson via a Kimura lock.
Can anyone stop Khabib? This is how he took out Michael Johnson on his way to the title... 🏆
📺 youtu.be/FWdFnyAbk1M https://t.co/zY2OA1HTpr
Khabib Nurmagomedov faced Conor McGregor at UFC 229 for the undisputed lightweight championship. 'The Eagle' proved to be too much for McGregor.
After landing a massive takedown in the second round, Nurmagomedov, while fighting, was seen speaking to 'The Notorious.'
"What happened? What happened? Let's talk now! Talk! Let's talk now! Let's talk!...You tired?"
Watch him talk to Conor McGregor at UFC 229 below:
Khabib Nurmagomedov also frequently spoke to Dana White between rounds
Khabib Nurmagomedov's cordial relationship with UFC president Dana White is well-known. 'The Eagle' often spoke to White in between his fights.
During his bout against Michael Johnson, the Dagestani Sambo icon spoke to the president while warning him about his intentions regarding Conor McGregor. While between the rounds, Nurmagomedov seemingly warned White and told him to 'be careful' and that he was going to smash Conor McGregor.
Watch the clip below: