Khabib Nurmagomedov has built up a lethal team of fighters hailing from Dagestan, continuing a legacy that his father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov had started. The undefeated 29-0 former lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer is going to have a pretty tense time at the start of 2025 because Islam Makahchev and Umar Nurmagomedov, are fighting at UFC 311 for the lightweight and bantamweight titles. But do you know there is one more fighter he is going to corner? Who is this fighter? None other than Dagestani flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov.

Who is Tagir Ulanbekov? He is a 15-2-0 flyweight contender in UFC who trains with Team Khabib. Apart from his career stats, who is this young up-and-comer from this legendary team? Is he related to the man leading the charge, Khabib Nurmagomedov? Let’s find out.

Tagir Ulanbekov’s relationship with Khabib and Islam

Much like Islam Makhachev, Ulanbekov is not related to Khabib by blood but they are brothers in arms from the same fighting camp, with similar goals. He was born on July 8, 1991, into an Avar home, in the village of Dylym in the Kazbekovsky District of the Republic of Dagestan. On the other hand, Makhachev came into the world on 27 October 1991 in Makhachkala located in Dagestan.

For Ulanbekov, being in Team Khabib is a blessing. At the tender age of 8, he moved to Makhachkala, Dagestan. He then joined the echelon of Eagles MMA and was trained by none other than Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. This is where he met his brothers by fate – Makahchev and Khabib. The man who grew up helping his mother in the bazaar found his way to the UFC, trained under the watchful eye of the senior Nurmagomedov, now under the mentorship of ‘The Eagle’ himself.

Ulanbekov will open the night at UFC 311, facing Clayton Carpenter in the first fight of the evening. Hence, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s duty as a coach will begin in the first fight of the early prelims. At least, ‘The Eagle’ will have the opportunity to sit out for the rest of the evening until the last two main event fights of the evening, where the Dagestani legacies will be on the line. Regardless, you can be sure that coach Khabib is gunning for three winning fights that evening. On that basis, let’s take a closer look at Tagir Ulanbekov’s UFC journey.

Tagir Ulanbekov’s journey in the UFC

The 33-year-old is a Russian national Combat Sambo champion, along with accolades in the EU and world circuits. He made his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 179 and has since racked up a UFC record of 4-1, losing only to Tim Elliot via unanimous decision at UFC 272. The flyweight prospect from Dagestan has two submission and three decision wins in the UFC.

The #11-ranked flyweight has a 16-2-0 record and has been training hard to uphold Team Khabib’s legacy. He spoke to UFC and narrated his journey to combat sports. He said, “I started training in 2006. I came to the gym to fix my injured hand and that’s how I become a fighter.” He considers his coach as his hero and, like his teammates, has only one goal – to become a UFC champion.

“It’s very important for us because he wasn’t just a coach, a regular coach,”,  Tagir Ulanbekov said to UFC about how meaningful it is to carry on the legacy envisioned by Abdulmanap, and realized by Khabib. He continued, “He spent a lot of time, gave us a lot of motivational stuff, things he taught us about how to be a man in life.”

However, recently because of UFC 311, Khabib seems to be under a lot of pressure which ignited rumours about Ulanbekov having a bit of tension with team Khabib. but Ulanbekov dismissed the rumors while speaking to Ushatayka on YouTube. He declared, “There’s no tension hanging over us. On the contrary, we’re extremely motivated. We train hard, stay focused, and approach each session with respect. As a team, we’re determined to surprise the world.”

There’s enough footage out there, and interviews, to suggest the kind of pressure Khabib Nurmagomedov is in as a coach. For him, UFC 311 isn’t just about having his fighters win, it’s about furthering his late father’s legacy. While the pressure is on for Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov. Tagir Ulanbekov has the added pressure of setting the tone for the evening. Will be do right by the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and undoubtedly win his UFC 311 fight? Well, only time will tell.