According to UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov, Khabib Nurmagomedov won't be away from mixed martial arts for very long.
Khabib is reportedly leaving MMA to focus on his personal life. He has taught many fighters since his retirement from the sport in 2020, including Islam Makhachev and his cousin Umar.
Just a few weeks remain till Makhachev defends his title against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284. While it's unclear if Khabib will be present as a spectator, Javier Mendez claims that Khabib won't be in Makhachev's corner.
Umar will not have Khabib in his corner when he fights Raoni Barcelos this weekend at UFC Vegas 67. He recently surged in the bantamweight ranks and might challenge for the championship.
Umar questioned whether Khabib's coaching sabbatical would be permanent.
“This guy my brother and with me. He cannot go away,” Umar said. “I was calling him, talking to him about this fight, about cutting weight. “
“When I go home, I’ll be training with him. I will go to his home and say to him, ‘Hey, let’s go to training.’ But even this guy is all the time training. He cannot stop.”
As Eagle FC continues to host events in 2023, Khabib will continue to have a major role in the organisation.