It seems that the MMA fandom isn’t on board with Belal Muhammad making comparisons between Khabib Nurmagomedov and NBA legend, Michael Jordan! Muhammad is getting ready to take on Leon Edwards for the welterweight title at UFC 304 on July 27 and to prepare for the fight, he has been spending time training with ‘Team Khabib’ to sharpen his skills. The fight is a re-match between the two as they had faced each other at UFC Fight Night 187 in 2021 but in the second round, an accidental eye-poke led to the fight being declared a ‘no-contest’.

Muhammad has trained with the Dagestani camp in the past and due to sharing the same manager with Khabib Nurmagomedov, the two have developed a close relationship. After his fight with Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 last year, Muhammad was invited to train with Team Khabib in Abu Dhabi where he revealed that Nurmagomedov’s generosity left him speechless. In a recent interview on the ‘Money Loyalty Legacy’ podcast, Muhammad stated that ‘The Eagle’ provided him with a hotel room, groceries, and other gear without asking for anything in return!  

And in another interview with MMAJunkie, Muhammad stated about his recent title fight training camp with Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, “One day training with Khabib is worth 100 days training with anybody else. The knowledge, just the energy you get from them guys, it’ss priceless… I’m training with Michael Jordan of the sport in Khabib, and Islam is basically like the LeBron James of the sport.”

He also confessed that experience has given him insights into the champion’s mindset and routine, which he believes will be crucial as he heads into his first title fight. However, the MMA fandom hasn’t taken kindly to the comparisons being drawn between ‘The Eagle’ and ‘His Airness’ and didn’t hold back in the comments section of the post. Here’s a look at what the community had to say:

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev get trolled by fans for being compared to NBA legends 

Fans pointed out that Jordan’s 6-championship wins with the Chicago Bulls dwarf Khabib Nurmagomedov’s championship reign that only lasted for 3 defenses, and as such, ‘The Eagle’ remains a “what if” in the fan’s eyes

“Jordan is a 6 time champ. Khabib defended his belt like 3 times. Please stop with this ridiculous take. Khabib is a what if”

Others took humorous jabs at Muhammad’s nickname by claiming that they could not ‘Remember the Name’

“Bro who even is this guy. Can someone tell me his name”

Some even stated that despite all the training with Team Khabib, they still believe that Leon Edwards will be able to hold on to his title at UFC 304

“Cool story, Leon makes him cry again”

One fan brought up names like Demetrious Johnson, Georges St.Pierre and Jon Jones as examples of UFC champions who are comparable to the legends of basketball like Michael Jordan and LeBron James

“Dj/GSP and Jon is much closer to the Jordan LeBron debate in mma”

Others reiterated the fact that Khabib Nurmagomedov being dubbed the ‘Michael Jordan of MMA’ is not something they agree with

“Calling Khabib the MJ of the sport is absolutely wild”

While others were more blunt in their responses as they blasted the “take” by Muhammad

“Awful take.”

One fan brought up Jon Jones as someone whose accomplishments make him worthy of being compared to Michael Jordan, with his ‘champ-champ’ status and dominant UFC record

“Jon Jones is the Michael Jordan of the sport”

Another fan was more diplomatic in their response but still indicated that Jon Jones and Georges St.Pierre are more accurate comparisons for Michael Jordan and LeBron James

“Love Khabib and Islam but I’d argue that Jon & GSP fit the Jordan/LeBron category more”

In conclusion, fan reactions to Belal Muhammad’s comparison of Khabib Nurmagomedov to Michael Jordan underscore the complexities of comparing elite athletes from different sports. The debate extended to other UFC champions, with names like Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, and Jon Jones being mentioned as more fitting comparisons to basketball legends like Jordan and LeBron James.

While Muhammad’s intent was likely to emphasize the high caliber of his training partners, the ensuing fan discourse reveals the passion and differing perspectives within the MMA community. What are your thoughts on Muhammad’s assertion that Khabib Nurmagomedov is the ‘Michael Jordan of MMA’? Share your thoughts in the comments below!