Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion, has received high praise from former President Donald Trump! At UFC 302, Trump made waves in New Jersey when he entered the Prudential Center to a rousing standing ovation and cheers from the crowd. The former president made his entrance with UFC CEO Dana White, and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was left stunned by the crowd response as he exclaimed, “The round of applause he is getting right now is pretty staggering, and you had to imagine that was what was going to happen.”

With chants of ‘USA’ echoing around the arena as Trump made his way to his cage-side seats, a video was shared online of his interaction with ‘The Eagle’, where Nurmagomedov made a surprising request to the former President. Subsequently, Trump made a post on social media where he praise Nurmagomedov for his achievements and dubbed him, “the Greatest Fighter of All Time”! 

Donald Trump gives his ‘GOAT’ endorsement to Khabib Nurmagomedov

At UFC 302, Khabib Nurmagomedov made his return as a coach and cornerman for his friend and protégé, Islam Makhachev’s title defense against Dustin Poirier. Nurmagomedov had retired from the sport of MMA in 2020 and transitioned to a coaching role for his team.

However, in 2023, ‘The Eagle’ decided to step away from all MMA-related roles as he wanted to spend more time with his family. But due to the importance of Makhachev’s fight against Poirier and having previously faced ‘The Diamond’ himself at UFC 242, Nurmagomedov decided to return to add his much-needed expertise to the champion’s training camp.

During the main card of the night, the fans were stunned when Donald Trump made his entrance into the arena and shook hands with Khabib Nurmagomedov and the two had a brief conversation. According to videos shared online, Nurmagomedov told the former President, “I know you’re gonna stop all this Palestine war” to which Trump responded by stating, “We’re gonna stop it. I’m gonna stop it.”

This conversation then led to a post on social media by Trump where he stated, “Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired after a record of 29-0, never having lost even a single round, is probably the Greatest Fighter of All Time. I met him at the UFC event on Saturday night in New Jersey. A really smart guy- Big things in the future for Khabib!”

Trump has been in the news recently as he became the first former American President to be convicted of a felony as he received a guilty verdict on 34 charges in a case related to hush money by a New York jury. Nevertheless, his endorsement of Nurmagomedov highlights the crossover appeal of fighters who can transcend their sport to become influential figures in broader societal contexts. And despite the controversial public opinion on the politician and business mogul, according to UFC CEO Dana White, it was Trump’s support that helped the promotion survive its rough days!

Trump’s role in the UFC’s success revealed by Dana White  

Dana White has often credited Donald Trump for his early support of the UFC, which played a crucial role in the organization’s success. In a past interview with Tucker Carlson, the UFC boss stated, “He’s been a very good friend to me since the day I met him. When we bought this company it had such a bad stigma attached to it and the sport that we couldn’t even get into venues, they didn’t want us.”

According to White, Trump recognized the growth potential of the UFC and since he’s a massive sports fan, “…he offered us to come do the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Imagine back then; Trump brand is way up, UFC brand is way down, but he took us in, and he was great.”

In conclusion, despite the divisive opinions surrounding Donald Trump, his early and continued support has played a crucial role in the UFC’s rise to prominence. With his endorsement of Khabib Nurmagomedov and presence at UFC 302, Trump remains a polarizing yet undeniable figure in the world of MMA. 

What are your thoughts on the former President’s remarks about Khabib Nurmagomedov and their conversation? Share them with us in the comments below!