Khabib Nurmagomedov knows a thing or two about taking on the best and brightest from Ireland.
Now in his new role as coach and mentor, the retired UFC lightweight champion has moved on from his own historically nasty rivalry with Conor McGregor, and he’s preparing his cousin Usman Nurmagomedov for a title defense against Irish upstart Paul Hughes at a PFL event scheduled in Dubai on Jan. 25. The card has been built around “Dagestan vs. Ireland” but Nurmagomedov says there really isn’t much comparison when you look at the bigger picture.
“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” Nurmagomedov said in a new interview posted by PFL. “Let’s be honest. How many fighters do you know from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor [McGregor] and who else? There is no fighters.”
The has spoken ️
— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 2, 2025
How do you see it playing out between Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov and Ireland’s Paul Hughes battle for the @BellatorMMA Lightweight World Title #RoadtoDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE pic.twitter.com/CiNP4167kz
While there are surely a long list of Irish fighters — including UFC welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry — who would vehemently disagree, Nurmagomedov says it’s really just a numbers game.
Nurmagomedov has to look no further than the sheer amount of fighters coming out of his home region in Dagestan to understand true domination on the global scale.
In the UFC, Nurmagomedov’s close friend Islam Makhachev reigns as both the lightweight champion and the current top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Meanwhile, Usman Nurmagomedov reigns at the Bellator lightweight champion but that doesn’t even begin to cover the vast amount of fighters from Dagestan decorating the rankings across numerous divisions.
In fact, Nurmagomedov says there are a long list of prospects who can’t even get booked because promoters are worried about Dagestan fighters completely taking over.
“You come to Dagestan, you can understand,” Nurmagomedov said. “You know so many organizations they don’t even sign Dagestan fighters because they worry about like everybody can become champion.
“Dagestan, and let’s be honest, Dagestan level of MMA [up] here. But Ireland level? Not even half of Dagestan level.”
After hearing about Nurmagomedov’s comments, Hughes could only promise that he’s ready to answer the challenge when he faces Usman in January.
“Just wait and see,” Hughes wrote.
Just wait and see https://t.co/LfkPtNtfls
— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) January 2, 2025
Darren Till gave his take on the situation on X.
I’ve always respected Khabib and his team a lot they are fantastic fighters
— DT (@darrentill2) January 3, 2025
But for him to sit there and say fighters from Ireland are low level in comparison of sizes of countries and production Ireland is actually way ahead
Ireland is so fucking small and Russia is so fucking…
I’ve always respected Khabib and his team a lot they are fantastic fighters. But for him to sit there and say fighters from Ireland are low level in comparison of sizes of countries and production Ireland is actually way ahead. Ireland is so fucking small and Russia is so fucking big. Ireland has produced amazing fighters over the years. I would said just over size and production of the country Ireland wins every time and this is not me being biased because I am neither friends with khabibs side or irelands side I’m just stating my opinion.
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