Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov now weighs the same as a light heavyweight during weigh-ins.
Now no longer an active fighter following his retirement from mixed martial arts back in 2020, “The Eagle” no longer has to worry about what he eats anymore.
Further proof of that comes in his revelation that he now weighs 205 pounds — a stark contrast to when he was walking around 190 pounds when he was active.
“I weigh 205lb now, maybe 204lb in the morning if I don’t have dessert the night before,” Nurmagomedov said at a Human Appeal charity event in London last week (via Bloody Elbow). “When I was an active fighter, I was around 190lb and I cut weight to 155lb. I finished my career, I gained about five kilos, but I can’t do anything with this.”
Nurmagomedov struggled to make the 155-pound limit on a number of occasions, notably missing weight for his fight with Abel Trujillo and being hospitalized prior to his UFC 209 title fight with Tony Ferguson.
Even when he did make weight, it was never easy as evidenced by his dodgy UFC 254 weigh-in against Justin Gaethje.
And for Nurmagomedov, maintaining a strict diet was one of the hardest things to do in his life.
But now, he’s going to be happy and just drink Pepsi.
“It was one of the hardest things in my life to stay away from food, even now,” Nurmagomedov said. “It was hard because for 15 years I was on a diet, maybe more. To make weight, I had to stay on a diet all my life. Being a religious person, we have to stay away from a lot of things. When food comes on the table, sometimes you want to enjoy it. I have to train every day for five hours to get back to 86 kilo, or I can live a happy life. I’m going to be happy and drink Pepsi.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov Still Trains
Don’t be fooled though.
Nurmagomedov — who is now a promoter and coach among many other things — still trains everyday and may have gained even more weight if not for that.
However, it is still a lot less training than when he was active.
“I train maybe one hour a day, but before when I was active, I was training at least four hours everyday,” he added.
