Khabib: I don't want to be like just champion,
I want to be like greatest champion in lightweight division.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of UFC.
Considered by some as the best lightweight champion of all time, he is part of a select
group of fighters who retired undefeated. His strength, drive to win and respectful
personality garnered him many fans around the globe.
Throughout his career, he proved time and time again why he was the best.
Success is not a result of mere luck; it is the result of deliberate effort and consistency.
It is the result of focused action and the belief that you can conquer all you want.
Other people will want what you have. Other people will
try to beat you. But you can defend your place. When Connor McGregor, another great UFC fighter,
tried to get Khabib’s title for himself, he didn’t make it.
He tried using offenses to destabilize his opponent.
But Khabib didn’t fall for that. He proved he could be the calm in the eye of the storm.
Interviewer: He's talked about your brother, he's called your father a coward,
he has made fun of where you live. Are you going into this fight angry at all?
Khabib: Little bit, little bit, but I can control my emotional, you know. He can say worry what he
want, you know, like when some alcoholic guys talking about something people don't care about
this. I don't care about what he’s talking about, because I know who I am, I know my friends so,
my family know, my close people know who I am. And 100% I'm sure he knows too,
but he just wanna make me nervous. But it's okay, this is part of the, his game.
And of course, I'm a little bit angry but you have to control your emotional,
you know. When I go to the cage I'm gonna control, and I have plan, don't rush stay, relaxed
go forward, and make him tired. After, I can do whatever I want.
Khabib: I’m a say, I like when between you and your opponent,
when you guys have some pressure or like some beef or something like this.
But this is sport and a lot of kids follow this and I think most important like show respect
and show good fights. But these guys this guy think they can play with my mind,
like my team mind, something like this, but nobody can play this. Nobody. It's like unbreakable
and I show this all my career, 27 fights and this is not about like I fight a couple time
and you see I'm talking about this. No, I show this, like it was biggest fighting you see, it
was like very big pressure and all the world watch on this fight and I show everything what I can.
Khabib: This is a respect sport, you know, this is not trash-talking sport, this is respect. So like
I told you before guys, I wanna change this game. I don't wanna people talk about like
opponents talking about his father like, religion. You cannot talk about religion,
you cannot talk about nation, you know guys, you cannot talk about this stuff. And, you know
If you want to be invincible you have to know how to control your emotions.
People will say bad things about you. But you mustn’t listen to them.
This is just their pitiful attempt to affect you. Because they can’t beat you in a fair game.
They are not willing to put in all the time and effort you dedicate to your crusade.
Whatever happens, never react! Stop. Breathe and evaluate the
options calmly. You will see that the best path is to ignore the critics and focus on your work.
And no matter what people do, remember that RESPECT is always a must.
You must respect people’s opinions, religions, nationalities, and everything else.
You must lead by example. When you achieve success, you become an example
for all the generations to come. Remember that, and do your best!
Khabib: I am different mentality. I'm born from
crazy mountains, you know, I born from, you know, I grew up very tough life.
Khabib: My job is defend my title, you know. Number one job it's my defend my title. If
I want defend my title I have to spend 5 hours every day in the gym, you know.
That's why everything is together. If you lose something, everything go down,
that's why I try to control everything,g because I know the history of MMA. I know its history of
champions. A lot of champions when they become champion and a lot of guys, like when they win,
they little bit change. Like Ronda Rousey, like this is not about they bad people. This is about
like sometimes you can control everything. Like if before when you become champion
if you train every day two time, when you become champion sometime you train one time on one day.
Like you can train a little bit running and you think you training. But when you go to
the cage you, no need for running, you need sparring, you need grappling unit wrestling,
you need hard work. Like before you when you become champion, you work because you're hungry,
you need this and you have big motivation. Then you become champion you little bit lose your
motivation and you forget about other guys. A lot of guys coming like training so hard,
very hungry and you have to understand this. I know this, I know this way, I know this
stuff and that's why I keep training.
Khabib: I just wanna maul people this is what I wanna do, you know. Doesn't matter Dustin,
Tony, or other opponents, doesn't matter. When I go to the cage I maul my opponents.
All my life 27 and all people talk about his six-win streak. What about 27 win streak and
eleven years undefeated? And you know, I know I, I don't underestimate this guy
I know he's tough challenge but this guy is not in my level.
If you want to be the best at something you can’t become comfortable.
You can’t let things go to your head.
Yes, you must be confident! Yes, you must believe you are the best.
But just as long as you have the hard work to back it up.
Many people want to be number one, and if you want to be in that place, you must improve yourself
ALWAYS. You must work
just as hard as when you had nothing. You must push your limits even further.
You must find new ways to show your worth. And never expect things to be guaranteed.
There is NO guarantee. The only way to be as close
to the certainty of victory as possible is to give everything you got every day of your life.
Khabib: Of course, I'm tough, but I'm smart too. I'm more smart than tough and people watching on
my record and they think oh this guy is tough. This is not about that. This is about mind, this
is about how do you think when you fight, like, you know, like this is about everything you know.
Why I need take some fight like, if you have to give me fight, I try no injures , come here make
way to fight, but other stuff I don't care. Like if you have self problem, this is UFC problem.
This is, that's why my name is Habib other name is vfc. You know I care about my legacy.
Khabib: You know, if you want to be on top you have to train
always. Not only in training camp when UFC give you five,
no you have to train always because this sport have a lot of lucky lions, you know, very hungry.
Your mind is EVERYTHING. As physically strong as you may be,
if you don’t toughen your mind, you won’t be able to make it to the end.
You have to sharpen your mind. Learn new things every day.
Notice your patterns and develop ways to control your emotions.
Moreover, if you reach the end of a cycle in your life, there can be a lot yet to come.
Khabib retired from UFC, but he has plans in other ventures.
Don’t be content with just one thing. Diversify your career. Have the courage
to start something from scratch. And become the best once again.
Khabib: I have some business projects, I’m gonna make money,
I’m gonna, I'm gonna enjoy with my life. I have kids
and I have my brothers, they still fighting university I’m going to support them.
Khabib: And uh right now I feel I don't have nothing to improve. Like to show people who I am,
like I do everything in this world and, you know, it’s like I feel I don't need to nothing to do.
You don’t have to prove anything to anybody. Do things for yourself.
Do things so you can have all you’ve ever wanted. So you can reach the top
and admire the view from that. Be the best, and enjoy life.
That’s a reward in and of itself. Appreciate it.