Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov congratulated his mentee and his prodigy, Islam Makhachev, after his successful UFC 294 title defense against featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski. In an Instagram post, Khabib also explained why he was absent from Islam’s corner in this important fight.
The 35-year-old retired from the world of mixed martial arts in 2020, following the passing of his father less than a year prior. In adherence to a commitment made to his mother, he has refrained from involvement in the sport since his retirement. Now, he has decided to even give up coaching to completely move away from the world of MMA. This is the reason why Khabib has chosen not to be in Islam’s corner anymore.
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“If you guys ask me where I have been, why wasn’t I in the corner? I already answered this question: I don’t go to fights, I don’t go to the corner, and I completely left everything related to MMA.” wrote the UFC veteran in an Instagram post (translated to English).
Khabib and Islam share a deep bond. As numerous fans are aware, Makhachev embarked on his MMA career under the training of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who was not only the head coach of Khabib but also his father. Tragically, after Abdulmanap’s passing in 2020, Khabib decided to retire from active fighting and briefly shifted his focus towards coaching and mentoring younger fighters at his gym.
Islam Makhachev did not celebrate after his win against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294
A knockout victory against one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world is a good enough reason for anyone to fire up. Nevertheless, the UFC lightweight champion refrained from commemorating one of his most remarkable UFC moments.
Post-fight, Islam Makhachev expressed his solidarity with Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. This stance was the rationale behind his decision to forgo the post-fight celebration and promptly exit the octagon after his interview with Daniel Cormier. He even requested the fans to not cheer for him when he won the fight.
He was not the only one who promoted peace inside the octagon, as undefeated Swedish fighter Khamzat Chimaev also spoke about the same after he defeated the former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of the night.
Lastly, to sum it all up, UFC 294 had everything you could ask for. Close fights, fast finishes, and brutal knockouts. It would be accurate to say that the Russians took center stage throughout the event. Their exceptional performances earned them well-deserved bonuses, making UFC 294 a successful PPV for the company.