Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is returning to corner the current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 after being absent in two fights. In the highly anticipated event, Makhachev will defend his title against Dustin Poirier. “The Eagle” made his second successful defense of the lightweight title against “The Diamond” during his UFC days at UFC 242. The two men maintained a respectful demeanor before and after the bout.
Makhachev shared the exciting news himself
Makhachev is excited to have his close friend and mentor back at his corner. The Russian shared the news by saying, “Eagle has arrived in Jersey City. He is going to be my corner. Honestly, I’m very happy because he’s one of the best corner, coach, brother and friend.” Nurmagomedov also confirmed his appearance with a poster in which he’s holding a video game pad, indicating that he’ll lead his pupil to victory.
Khabib’s last appearance at Makhachev’s corner was during his championship win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He was absent from Makhachev’s subsequent title defenses and chose to step away from the MMA world to focus on family. Despite not appearing physically, Khabib continued to support from afar, playing a key role in his title defenses. Now the reunion with him is a significant moment for Makhachev, who has been closely associated with Nurmagomedov throughout their MMA careers as training partners and friends.
Khabib expressed his confidence in Makhachev
Ahead of the bout, Khabib expresses confidence in his teammate Islam Makhachev, citing his own experiences against Poirier as a key factor. Khabib believes that Poirier is often underestimated, but because he shared the UFC octagon with him, he understands his strengths and weaknesses. The team is focusing on exploiting those weaknesses. On his YouTube channel, Nurmagomedov also acknowledged Dustin’s experience and multiple wins in the promotion. However, he says Makhachev has a well-developed strategy for the bout and he is confident in his ability to execute it. The Russian predicts a finish for Islam in the second or third round.
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