Meet coach Khabib's MMA super-team including cousin Usman

Khabib Nurmagomedov coaches UFC champion Islam Makhachev (left) and Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov (right)

Usman Nurmagomedov v Paul Hughes - Bellator lightweight title

Date: 25 January Venue: Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai

Coverage: Follow live text commentary from 20:00 GMT on Saturday on the BBC Sport website and app

Islam Makhachev can pinpoint the exact moment he believed he would one day become a UFC champion.

It was when his his close friend, training partner and now coach Khabib Nurmagomedov won the lightweight title in 2018.

"When Khabib took the belt, I understood in my mind, I can do [it too]. Because I did the same things, training with him all my life, following the discipline, I understood I can be UFC champion at that moment," said Makhachev.

"For 15 years this guy was training more than everybody - that's why he had the success, training everywhere, every day, more than everybody. This is the key."

Nurmagomedov, 36, is widely regarded as one of the best MMA fighters of all time. He retired undefeated in 2020 having won all 29 of his professional bouts.

He left the sport after the death of his father and mentor Abdulmanap, before following in his dad's footsteps and moving into coaching, where he is now the figurehead of arguably the current most successful MMA team in the world.

On Saturday, Nurmagomedov will be in his cousin's corner when Usman Nurmagomedov defends his Bellator lightweight belt against Irishman Paul Hughes in Dubai.

Nurmagomedov was in Makhachev's corner at UFC 311 when the 33-year-old made history by retaining his belt against Renato Moicano.

He also coached his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov - brother of Usman - in the co-main event, but was left heartbroken as the 29-year-old was beaten by Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title.

When asked what makes his family and team in Dagestan so successful, Nurmagomedov strips it down to one word: sacrifice.

"People talk about discipline but that is not enough. It's all about sacrifice," Nurmagomedov told the UFC in an interview this week.

He went on to tell a story about a Mexican fighter he was coaching, who wanted to go back to his country to see his family.

"I told him his family will have to wait if you want to be the best in the world," added Nurmagomedov.

"I am not against family people, I just say if you want to be the best in this business, you have to sacrifice.

"Sacrifice your time, health, everything you have. When people try to give me an excuse I say: 'This guy is just a regular fighter, like thousands of others. He will make money, he will be good, but he is never going to be champion.'

"And when I see Islam, Umar, Usman, myself, we've sacrificed all our life to be the best in the world."

'Coaching is a headache for me'

Makhachev's win over Moicano meant he surpassed coach Nurmagomedov's record as the fighter with the most lightweight title defences in a row in UFC history, with four.

Umar, meanwhile, was competing for his first UFC title and suffered the first defeat of his 19-fight MMA career.

Usman is undefeated after 18 fights, meaning the pair plus Makhachev and Khabib have a remarkable 92-2 record between them, as well as one no-contest for Usman.

The quartet's only other defeat before UFC 311 came in 2015, when Makhachev was knocked out by Adriano Martins.

Umar says his team-mates' achievements should mean they are regarded in the same way as the iconic Brazilian family the Gracies, who pioneered the use of jiu-jitsu in the sport.

"This will become legacy for us. When we become older we will tell our kids, it's awesome," said Umar.

"Our team, our family, is going to be like Gracie. Everybody will know what we did in MMA."

During Makhachev's title defence against Dustin Poirier in June, coach Nurmagomedov was animated outside the octagon, slapping the canvas and roaring advice at his fellow Russian.

Khabib thought Umar would be announced the winner, even making a movement to take the UFC belt from Dana White before Dvalishvili was announced the winner.

He was visibly gutted and consoled a dejected Umar after the points loss.

Makhachev says coach Nurmagomedov finds life hard in his new role, adding he "cannot sleep" after fights "because of the emotion".

Despite his success with his three fighters, it's an observation Nurmagomedov agrees with.

"I didn't know it would be this hard. When I was fighting I was controlling everything that was happening, but this coaching life is different," said Nurmagomedov.

"I can only talk, I can't do anything. I can just give my brothers advice and stay out of the cage.

"This is not what I'm used to - it's a little headache for me."

A version of this story appeared on BBC Sport website on January 18, 2025.