Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Hilarious Criticism of Magomed “Chanco” Zaynukov After Debut UFC Win Revealed

Khabib Nurmagomedov does not hold back on correcting Magomed 'Chanco' Zaynukov despite dominant showing at UFC Abu Dhabi.

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Hilarious Criticism of Magomed “Chanco” Zaynukov After Debut UFC Win Revealed

Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to Magomed Zaynukov's debut (via Yahoo Sports, SCMP)

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s career opened doors for young athletes from the Caucasus region and Dagestan. One such fighter is Magomed ‘Chanco’ Zaynukov, who has emerged as another prospect from the region. He recently made his UFC debut at UFC Abu Dhabi and secured an impressive victory, but it was still not enough to satisfy the UFC legend.

Zaynukov earned his UFC contract after appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9. The lightweight defeated Lucas Caldas by unanimous decision in October 2025, earning a UFC deal after his performance. The victory continued his undefeated run and secured his place on the UFC roster.

Zaynukov made his UFC debut at UFC Abu Dhabi against Damian Rzepecki and earned a unanimous decision victory. The lightweight prospect extended his undefeated record to 9-0, but revealed that Nurmagomedov immediately focused on one mistake after the fight.

Khabib told me it was a great, exciting fight, but said, ‘You missed the takedown, and that’s not okay. Islam congratulated me too. They expected it to be an exciting fight, so they were happy with the performance.

Magomed Zaynukov told UFC media team

Nurmagomedov has continued to keep a close eye on Zaynukov’s career as the lightweight prospect rises through the MMA community. The UFC legend has followed his progress closely and previously advised ‘Chanco’ to stay humble when he started gaining more popularity and attention.

However, Zaynukov’s confidence has helped make him popular in the MMA community. That confidence was on full display ahead of UFC Abu Dhabi, where ‘Chanco’ spoke openly about representing Team Khabib. He stated that facing a member of Nurmagomedov’s team should be considered an honor for Rzepecki.

Nurmagomedov’s comments reflect the discipline and structure associated with the Dagestani fighting system. That approach was heavily influenced by his late father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who trained Khabib and other fighters with strict routines focused on wrestling, conditioning, discipline, and respect.

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has also previously spoken about Nurmagomedov’s demanding training camps and coaching style. Makhachev revealed that ‘The Eagle’ increased the intensity after becoming a coach, adding extra drills and grappling sessions compared to their earlier training days.

Magomed Zaynukov is still at the early stages of his UFC career despite making an impressive statement at UFC Abu Dhabi. As he moves toward higher-ranked matchups, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s guidance will remain important in his development. Chanco’s progress will depend on maintaining the discipline expected from the Dagestani system.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov remains humble regarding his spot in the GOAT conversation

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s dominance came from his relentless grappling, pressure, and ability to control elite opponents throughout his UFC career. He retired undefeated at 29-0 after defending the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier.

Nurmagomedov set several UFC records during his career, including 13 consecutive lightweight victories and three successful title defenses. He also became the first UFC lightweight champion to retire undefeated while holding the title. ‘The Eagle’ was also inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022.

Khabib Nurmagomedov stirs controversy
Khabib Nurmagomedov stirs controversy (via Heavy Sports)

Nurmagomedov’s achievements earned him recognition as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history due to his undefeated record and dominant title reign. However, the UFC legend does not believe he belongs on his own GOAT list and has instead named former two-division champion Jon Jones and Russian phenom Fedor Emelianenko as his choices.

I’d put two fighters as GOATs in my list: Jon Jones and Fedor Emelianenko. To put myself as the greatest? I’ll speak objectively, I don’t consider myself that. And never did. One of the best fighters ever? Yeah, Top-10 or Top-15, we can say that.

Khabib Niurmagomedov via Adam Zubayraev

Despite Khabib Nurmagomedov’s achievements, some have questioned his GOAT status due to the early stages of his career. His UFC 148 win over Gleison Tibau remains debated, with some believing Tibau won the fight. However, his undefeated record and dominant reign keep him among MMA’s greatest fighters.

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