“You have no teeth!” MMA coach reveals story of Khabib Nurmagomedov getting YELLED at for indiscipline action in gym

Coach Javier Mendez remembers teaching Khabib Nurmagomedov the importance of proper training equipment during training.

“You have no teeth!” MMA coach reveals story of Khabib Nurmagomedov getting YELLED at for indiscipline action in gym

Javier Mendez and Khabib Nurmagomedov (Image via MMA Fighting)

Javier Mendez and Khabib Nurmagomedov have known each other for years since the former lightweight champion made his UFC debut. Mendez as a coach has helped Nurmagomedov a lot in his striking and overall performance as an MMA fighter, for which Nurmagomedov has given him a lot of credit in the past.

During an interview, Mendez shared one of the incidents inside the AKA gym when he scolded the ‘Eagle’ for not wearing a mouthguard while training. While talking about it, Mendez said, 

"I yell at him Khabib , come here. He goes 'yes coach '.i said 'open your mouth, where's your mouthpiece?' he goes ' I don't have one' I go ' Khabib, what do you mean, you don't have one. Look, you need to wear a mouthpiece. Because you never never know,you can spar a million times and that's fine. But that one time, you have teeth.  Then he got a mouthpiece and from that point, he started learning more about bringing your proper equipment for training."
Javier Mendez on Red Corner MMA
YouTube video

Javier, the seasoned coach, took a moment to emphasize to Nurmagomedov the critical significance of consistently wearing a mouth guard during sparring sessions. He explained a scenario where a single heedless move could potentially lead to the dire consequence of losing teeth.

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Following this impactful conversation, Mendez noted a significant shift in Nurmagomedov’s approach, observing that the fighter now took his training sessions with heightened seriousness. From that point onward, Nurmagomedov conscientiously ensured that he always came prepared with a complete set of protective equipment when stepping into the gym for his rigorous training routines.

Georges St-Pierre’s coach puts Khabib Nurmagomedov above Islam Makhachev 

After Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s retirement, it was Islam Makhachev who stepped in and carried the legacy of Team Khabib. Over the years, many coaches and teammates have dubbed Makhachev as “Khabibib 2.0,”. However, Firas Zahabi, coach of Georges St-Pierre, contends that in the realm of MMA, ‘The Eagle’ ascends to greater heights than his teammate.

Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov (Image via IMAGO)

In a recent YouTube video, Zahabi, when discussing Nurmagomedov, highlighted that Khabib displayed a remarkable indifference to getting hit, a quality that, in Zahabi’s opinion, elevates him above Makhachev. Zahabi emphasized Khabib’s extraordinary chin, describing it as ridiculous and absurd. 

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He then pointed out that the Dagestani has never exhibited any signs of fatigue, a factor that distinguishes him from Makhachev. Zahabi cited Makhachev’s performance in Round 5 against Volkanovski, noting moments of fatigue and being on his back. Summing up, Zahabi asserted that Khabib Nurmagomedov operates on a superior level compared to Makhachev.

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