1. Khabib first time started walking on the wrestling mats. He was 5 when he started training wrestling.
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2. His father sold three bulls to open a gym and train all kids from around. ⠀
3. Almost everyone trains combat sports in Dagestan. So there were a lot of street fights. Khabib prefered to choke out his opponents, so they calm down. Khabib claims that his street record is way better than in the octagon. ⠀
4. As an amateur Khabib competed in 400 tournaments in different sports: freestyle wrestling, judo, combat sambo, pankration. ⠀
5. He used to lose pretty often. When he lost 3 tournaments in a week, he asked his father Abdulmanap: “Father, why you put me in there? I lose every time!”.
Abdulmanap says now: “Either they would break him, either he becomes stronger”.
6. Watching Fedor Emelianenko fights motivated Khabib to focus on MMA than on the other combat sports.
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7. At 19 he tried security work at local shopping mall, but his father didn’t let him do that. “All you need for trainings are water, food, fares, and I’ll give you that money”
8. Khabib has never tried cigarettes, alcohol, drugs in his life. ⠀
9. Khabib didn’t spar in full contact until 20 years of age. ⠀
10. His only regret about his past is that he overtrained a lot and didn’t give time to his body for recover. ⠀
11. Khabib was booked or about to be booked with next fighters: x2 Cerrone, Diaz, Melendez, x4 Ferguson, Holloway. Signed contract for Alvarez fight in 2016. ⠀
12. Holds record for the most takedowns in UFC history in a single fight – 21. ⠀
13. Gleison Tibau is the only fighter that Khabib didn’t manage to take down (13 attempts). ⠀
14. Tibau and Trujillo both took down Khabib, once each.
Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) are set to appear in front of fans and media at 6 p.m. ET on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, just prior to UFC 248 ceremonial weigh-ins. It is free and open to the public.
UFC officials today confirmed the press conference details for UFC 249, which takes place April 18 at Barclays Center in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Nurmagomedov, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA lightweight rankings, will attempt to make his third title defense when he takes on No. 2-ranked Ferguson, the former interim lightweight titleholder. It’s the fifth time the fight has been booked, which matchups falling apart in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 due to a variety of circumstances.
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