Belal Muhammad: “He’s the craziest coach” - Belal Muhammad details Khabib Nurmagomedov’s brutal training camp for Umar

There’s no such thing as an easy day when Khabib Nurmagomedov runs a camp. Belal Muhammad described him as the craziest coach he’s seen, who has been pushing Umar Nurmagomedov harder than ever in preparation for his fight against Mario Bautista at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.

Umar returns after his first professional loss against Merab Dvalishvili in January. He entered that bout as the favorite but struggled once he reportedly broke his hand midway through.

In a recent episode of No Scripts, Muhammad noted that Khabib’s approach is rooted in the famed Dagestani mindset. He said:

“I know people say, ‘Oh, he broke his hand,’ and yeah, he did break his hand. He was winning the first two rounds, then his hand broke, and it became a completely different fight [against Dvalishvili]. The level between both of them is just so close that you have to see a rematch. But he’s got to get past Bautista first.”

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He added:

“He’s been out there doing his whole camp with Khabib being the main coach. And Khabib is the craziest coach. He’s going to push him harder than he’s ever been pushed before. Especially coming off his first loss, Khabib’s not going to let him take a break. I think they’re hyped because the brother just won. Usman [Nurmagomedov] just won. So I think Umar’s going to be in a good place mentally to get a win.”

Check out Belal Muhamma's comments below (28:15):

Umar's coach admits the pressure of carrying Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy

For Umar, being Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousin is both a blessing and sometimes added pressure. The 28-year-old bantamweight has often been compared to the undefeated UFC legend.

Khabib’s dominance and aura have shaped Dagestani MMA, but they’ve also created an expectation that every Nurmagomedov must perform with the same invincibility.

Speaking in an interview with MMA Junkie, his coach, Javier Mendez said:

"There's extreme pressure on him. He's had a lot of pressure in this one because you've got to understand [that] he carries the last name. There's a big honor in that, and Usman, his brother, is undefeated, Khabib is undefeated, he was undefeated. There's a lot of pressure. He was doing what Khabib was doing at an earlier stage, so there were a lot of comparisons. I called him 'Young Eagle.' Come on, you've got to be realistic."

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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