"Iron sharpens iron" - Luke Rockhold talks about Khabib Nurmagomedov's coaching role in his comeback

Luke Rockhold, the former UFC middleweight champion, recently discussed what it is like to have another champion coach him. Rockhold trains at AKA with coach Javier Mendez, however, there are a plethora of other fighters who all help Rockhold during his training camps.

One such fighter is Khabib Nurmagomedov, who until very recently held the UFC lightweight title. Nurmagomedov made the decision to retire after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. However, he still trains regularly at AKA, with a larger focus on coaching now that his career as a fighter is behind him.

Luke Rockhold training with Khabib Nurmagomedov

Luke Rockhold was asked whether The Eagle will now become a key part of his coaching staff when he makes his return to the sport. Speaking on the Real Quick with Mike Swick podcast, Rockhold joked that:

"Yeah, yeah. You know, if I fight Kevin Holland I'm sure Khabib will be in my corner. My wrestling coach. Khabib will be my wrestling coach for that one. I'm just joking. We'll see."

However, speaking on the topic in a more serious tone, Luke Rockhold revealed that Nurmagomedov and his team will be flying in from Dagestan in the coming month. Rockhold expects to train with the former 155-lbs champ but will not necessarily be coached by him.

"I'll train with Khabib. They're coming out next month, I believe. So I'll venture up. I'll train with them a little bit. But I like to just go where I want. Khabib's always been there; we've always pushed each other. You need someone who really knows that intensity, who knows how you click and how to push you further," said Luke Rockhold.

Iron sharpens iron

Mike Swick, who is also a former member of AKA, also weighed in on the training mentality that exists at the American Kickboxing Academy. Swick stated:

"I think that's a big misconception people get when they see Khabib's gonna train you or train with you or coach you a little bit. Because, obviously, he's helping with Jav (Javier Mendes). The big misconception is we had coaches at AKA, but the biggest thing we had was each other. And I think a lot of people don't realise that."

Luke Rockhold clearly concurred, saying:

"It's an iron sharpens iron world. We push each other to those heights and that's the reason we are who we are. That's why we're AKA."