- Khabib Nurmagomedov will participate as a coach in an upcoming grappling event
- “The Eagle” will make his return after stepping away from the sport earlier this year
Former longtime UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is making headlines once again as his elite group of Sambo fighters gets booked for a grappling match against a team of Texas all-star grapplers, including some members of B-Team Jiu-Jitsu, a squad led by Craig Jones, Nicky Ryan, and Nicky Rodriguez.
The grappling event has no date yet but will take place in Kazakhstan.
Khabib will be coaching
Speaking on The Simple Man podcast, professional grappler and B-Team coach Ethan Crelinsten announced the event and revealed that Nurmagomedov will be coaching in the said match.
“It’s a team event in Kazakhstan, where it’s B-Team versus Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team,” Crelinsten said. “[Khabib] is coaching. We’ve got the team together: 91kg+, -99kg, all the way down to 60kg, under 60kg. So, it’s seven guys spread out across those weight categories. It’s not quintet style, it’s duel, so weight class vs. weight class. And I think there is a weight system, so a points win is something and a sub win is two points, or something like that.”
A much-awaited comeback
It can be recalled that Nurmagomedov took a break from coaching as he decided to focus on his family and personal life. Now that “The Eagle” appears to have ended his retirement, fans will surely be holding their breath for his return.
Prior to the said grappling event, Nurmagomedov gained notoriety in coaching as most of his pupils found massive success in MMA under his tutelage. Among the most notable fighters who hit their stride while being cornered by Nurmagomedov is reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Nurmagomedov called it a career after defending his UFC lightweight belt three times. He last fought at UFC 254 when he submitted Justin Gaethje in the second round. Nurmagomedov retired with an undefeated pro MMA record of 29-0.
