Khabib Nurmagomedov made Islam Makhachev the happiest customer after he announced his return to his corner. After more than a year away from the sport, ‘The Eagle’ finally decided to leave Dagestan and accompany his protégé. But why come back now? Well, for the lucky fans, the Dagestani legend cleared the air surrounding it in a recent YouTube video.

Being an absentee from Islam Makhachev’s corner for two straight PPV events, nobody was expecting ‘The Eagle’s return, even after multiple speculations. UFC 284 and UFC 294 did not witness the presence of the 29-0 legend, but UFC 302 is a different story altogether because Nurmagomedov believes it is the most important stage of Makhachev’s career.

Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t want to “regret” not being in Islam Makhachev’s corner

When Khabib Nurmagomedov signed off from all aspects of MMA, be it fighting or coaching, his sole purpose for that decision was to give his family some time. He’d been traveling across the globe for years and following his father’s sad demise, he had to make that decision. But as Islam Makhachev’s reign as the champion of the 155-pound continues, he’s slowly going to defend his title against some big-time contenders, which now includes Dustin Poirier, and Nurmagomedov wants to be there for him and help him in every way possible.

“Historic fights are ahead and in the next one and a half, two, three months, I would rather be nearby [Makhachev] than later regret and think, ‘If I had been there, it would have been different,” said Khabib Nurmagomedov in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel. 

However, being absent from Islam Makhachev’s corner and not traveling with him to different countries for his fights in the past doesn’t mean Khabib Nurmagomedov failed to help and share his wisdom with his protégé. He’s kept in touch with the lightweight champion and several other Dagestani fighters through various mediums.

“As much as possible, I try to be around and help; I am always either a phone call away, in the gym, or wrestling myself, demonstrating because I feel that I have a lot to share with them,” ‘The Eagle’ added. Even though Khabib Nurmagomedov has retired, he still seems to be finding his happiness while training. Let’s see what he had to say about that.

Nothing’s better for ‘The Eagle’ than training in the gym

The Dagestani fighters have established a reputation for themselves. They just won’t stop training, even for a day. The same goes for the 29-0 Hall of Fame legend. Khabib Nurmagomedov, even though he’s reached the mountain top of MMA, continues to train and loves hitting the mats every single day. He stated in the video, “I have my own affairs, my life, [and] projects that I lead. There are many things, but being in the gym brings the most positive energy – That’s what I have done my whole life.”

He also mentioned how the climate in the gym changes whenever he comes in. Taking up the role of a coach, he claims that the workouts he has in store for the fighters are different from the workouts they do without him. “I know that when I am in the gym and when I’m not, it’s two different training [for his teammates and students],” Khabib Nurmagomedov added.

It will be interesting to see if Islam Makhachev, with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s aid, could beat Dustin Poirier, who’s stepped up to the plate time and time again. Who do you think will emerge victorious at UFC 302? Will Nurmagomedov’s presence make any difference? Drop your views in the comments below.