“When fighters lose, this is better than winning” - Khabib Nurmagomedov on how he helps teammates handle losses
UFC Hall of Famer and former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently opened up about helping his teammates cope with losses.
Nurmagomedov continues to play a significant role in his teammates' fight preparation. He's consistently part of the training camps of fighters such as Usman Nurmagomedov, the current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, and many others.
The 35-year-old retired as an undefeated fighter. While the majority of his teammates are frequently victorious, some have experienced losses. Nurmagomedov acknowledges that it can be difficult to help fighters through those times.
In a recent interview for Class A Events in Surrey, British Columbia, Nurmagomedov discussed how he helps his teammates handle losses, saying:
''This is all about the fighter. If mentally he’s weak, it doesn’t matter. Even if he’s going to win, he’s going to change. This is all about mental. Sometimes, when fighters lose, this is better for him than winning because it’s not about, all the time, winning.''
Nurmagomedov continued:
''But, when fighters lose, what can I say? I tell him you have to fix your mistakes and come back stronger. Calm down, stay relaxed, if you’re going to keep training hard, your time will come, but you have to be patient.''
Check out the clip below:
Nurmagomedov announced his retirement after defeating Justin Gaethje via second-round submission at UFC 254 in October 2020. The Dagestani fighter cited the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, as the reason behind hanging up his gloves.
Take a look at the post below:
Khabib Nurmagomedov dismisses all speculation about potential return
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the many well-known fighters that fans have speculated would be a perfect fit for the UFC 300 main event. However, 'The Eagle' vowed to keep his promise to his mother and remain retired after his win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn, Nurmagomedov stated that he would turn down any offers to make a potential return:
''I know they connected with Ali [Abdelaziz], but I told Ali last maybe one year, 'Like, doesn't matter who call you, but never call me about a fight.' We have a deal. Directly with me, nobody connect, but I know with Ali, connect some people from UFC. For all these people who try to bring me back, I decide this in October 2020. It was my last fight and I will never change this.''
Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments below (3:54):