Let us go back to February 2023. Islam Makhachev was gearing up to face Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 when fans got to know that Khabib Nurmagomedov wouldn’t corner his protege. This was the aftermath of Nurmagomedov’s decision to step back from coaching and spend more time with his family, but Makhachev wasn’t disturbed by this at all. If anything, he went ahead and defeated Volkanovski via a unanimous decision. But here’s the thing: Though ‘The Eagle’ didn’t corner Makhachev, he was closely involved in the training. Is that about to change?

UFC 311 will witness the UFC lightweight champion clash with Arman Tsarukyan. How much will Khabib Nurmagomedov be involved in this fight?

In a new interview with ‘Yuka MMA’ on YouTube, Makhachev opened up about Nurmagomedov. He stated: “There is also Khabib in my corner with his own plan. He can quickly change the game plan, give advice. […] We were talking here, at the training camp. He called. He wanted to come for a week. I answered that there are about 500 people at the base. And he decided to change his plans.”

Let’s pause for a second. 500 people? That’s a training camp the size of a small army. But it seems like the army was relieved that Nurmagomedov decided not to come. After all, training is a lot more intense with his presence.

“We were here with Khabib at the last training camp, it was very tough. Training camps usually begin with adaptation, and acclimatization. But if Khabib is here, that’s it. We start with the wrestling right away. And the whole training camp was tough,” Islam Makhachev added.

Without ‘The Eagle’, things might look a little different. Does this mean the camp will be easier, or that Makhachev is missing out on that extra edge? Well, we are sure Makhachev’s camp will do its best to prepare the champion. Here’s why!

The upcoming UFC 311 will be Makhachev’s fourth title defense. No UFC lightweight champion, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, has exceeded three title defenses. If the Dagestani champion successfully defeats Tsarukyan, he will write his own history.

Before you start thinking that Khabib Nurmagomedov has completely stepped back, let us clear one thing. He will still show up on fight night, just not for the camp. And it’s not just Makhachev he is cornering. Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, is also fighting for a title in the co-main event.

Apart from that, there is Dagestani flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov opening the evening with his fight against Clayton Carpenter. Three corners, two title fights, one night—how’s that for pressure?

Can Khabib Nurmagomedov handle triple duty at UFC 311?

Ever wonder why the Dagestani mentor doesn’t fully embrace coaching? In a conversation about UFC 311, he stated, “I don’t like [coaching] but I have to be here.” Th reason is stress. Coaching is a stressful job and the former UFC champion doesn’t like that. “It’s gonna be a very big night for us on UFC 311, with Tagir [Ulanbekov], Umar for the title and Islam defends his belt. I cannot be home, I have to be here, but I don’t like this.”

Honestly, can you blame him? Coaching two championship bouts and one prelim fight in a single evening is enough to give anyone a headache. Yet, he is still making it work, because that’s what he does. But here’s a question: Will this triple duty stretch him too thin? Sure, he is ‘The Eagle’, but even eagles can’t be everywhere at once. It will be interesting to see how he handles his three fighters.

Let’s talk about Makhachev for a second. This isn’t the first time he’s had to prepare for a fight without Nurmagomedov in camp. UFC insider Chael Sonnen once pointed out that Nurmagomedov often skips the non-title camps but always returns for the big ones. And UFC 311? That’s as big as it gets. Still, Makhachev’s preparation will look a little different this time. He will have to rely more on himself and the team around him, including coach Javier Mendez, who is always by his side.

Nurmagomedov’s absence might also signal a bigger shift. Post-retirement, he has repeatedly said he is content being done with MMA, even as a coach. Does this mean he is slowly letting go of the sport entirely? We do not know this yet. But what we do know is that, on January 18, when Makhachev steps into the cage, all eyes will be on him, and his corner.

Do you think Islam Makhachev will defend his belt against Arman Tsarukyan? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.