Meet Islam Makhachev’s Brother Kurban Ismail Makhachev: All We Know About the UFC Champion’s Sibling

Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier are all set to clash against each other at UFC 302. The fight has greatly enhanced the entropy of the mixed martial arts fans as this would be Makhachev’s third consecutive title defense. If the Dagestani fighter wins, he will tie up with his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record of three successful title defenses. However, one cannot underestimate the skills of ‘The Diamond’. UFC 302 is probably his last chance to get the championship title, and Poirier will give it his all. 

With the entire Dagestani camp training in support of Makhachev, the brotherhood of the Dagestani team outshines that of any other team. Talking about brotherhood, Makhachev, and Nurmagomedov have often referred to each other as ‘brothers’. But did you know that the current UFC LW champ has an elder brother? Let’s find out some interesting stuff about Makhachev’s sibling.

Who is Islam Makhachev’s brother?

The UFC lightweight champion has an older brother, named Kurban Ismail Makhachev. Although not much is known about the older sibling, he has played a major role in Makhachev becoming the MMA star that he is today. According to reports, Kurban Ismail Makhachev was the one who ensured that his brother could follow his dream. 

Back when Makhachev practiced sambo and competed in the grappling realm, he was on the verge of giving up on sports because it didn’t make him any money. However, his elder brother took up a second job just to ensure that Makhachev didn’t have to worry about paying his travel fares for competitions. The support of the family is probably what makes the Dagestani warriors so special. 

Although nothing much is known about the personal life of Makhachev’s sibling, he can be easily spotted cheering for the lightweight champ in his corner. Furthermore, he never forgets to cherish the moments he has with his brother on Instagram. But the fight fans often have one question in their mind when it comes to Makhachev and Nurmagomedov.

Are Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev brothers?

The current champion and the former champion are not connected by blood relations. However, they do belong to the Dagestani brotherhood with more than just blood in building the relationships. To add up to the story, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the former champ’s father, considered Islam Makhachev as his son. Back in Dagestan, Makhachev and ‘The Eagle’ went to the same school, and Makhachev claimed to have seen Nurmagomedov every single day. Additionally, the two lived pretty close to each other. Given their love for combat sports, they became close friends and finally called each other ‘brother’. 

Makhachev was often present in the corner when Nurmagomedov was still competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Thereafter, ‘The Eagle’ took over the role of the coach following the sorrowful passing of his father, and ensured that Makhachev became the champion of the lightweight division. However, months before Makhachev’s first victory over Alexander Volkanovski, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from the world of mixed martial arts. 

“I wanna be like Khabib, you know. He is great man, you know. He’s a champion, he have lot of money now, lot of everything, but he’s still humble guy,” Makhachev declared previously. And now, the 32-year-old is trying to surpass Nurmagomedov. He has now set his aim at the welterweight title, with plans of becoming the double division champion. But first, he needs to defeat Poirier and match his legacy with that of Nurmagomedov. Whether he can do that or not is a different story altogether. But the excitement in the fighting community is quite high.

Did you know about Makhachev’s elder brother? Who do you think will win the title fight at UFC 302? Let us know in the comments down below.