It is not a secret that Khabib Nurmagomedov is something of a national hero in his home region of Dagestan. This was shown in a big way after UFC 254, as people in his region went crazy with excitement over Khabib’s victory.
Without a doubt, Khabib is currently the biggest sports star to hail from Russia. He regularly is in connection with high ranking members of Russian politics, meeting with Vladimir Putin among others. In fact, his following from this region of the world is so massive that it even put the UFC in a position where they opted to put his two most recent events during a time slot that favors that audience, rather than the typical west coast timeframe.
Dagestan Goes Crazy To Celebrate Khabib Nurmagomedov
Several videos have emerged since Khabib Nurmagomedov choked Justin Gaethje unconscious at UFC 254, of various large crowds in Dagestan, watching their champion defend his title. One video sees a large group of people gathered at a service station to watch the fight together, going absolutely nuts after Nurmagomedov wins. Another bares witness as a city erupts with excitement as they watch the Eagle defend his throne, honking their car horns and cheering in the streets. A final clip shows the level of insane partying to take place after UFC 254, with multiple people wearing Khabib’s signature papakha as they celebrate their icon’s victory.
Check out the videos below:
https://youtu.be/aOe-iLA4tuA
https://youtu.be/L0PYCW48PAc
With UFC 254 having taken place at an appropriate time zone for Russian fans, it is no wonder that they were so excited to see Khabib Nurmagomedov victorious. This type of wide and vast reaction goes to show how big of an influence he has in this region of the world. As he apparently retired after this fight, it will probably be a long time before someone else comes along who makes such an impact in Russia.
