Khabib Nurmagomedov never believed in shortcuts as a fighter, and that same unforgiving mentality now defines his work as a coach.

Since retiring in 2020, the former UFC lightweight champion has assumed leadership of the team once guided by his late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Speaking at the World Sports Summit, Khabib made it clear that when athletes step into his gym, the environment is built on structure, authority, and accountability:

When we come to the gym, when we begin our training – all of them know about this – there is no freedom of speech.

Everybody do what I say if I’m coach. In or out, there is no 50-50…

If you look at the result we have in almost every organization, we have champions.

For Khabib, success is not defined only by wins.
It’s the attitude athletes bring when things go wrong that truly reveals their character:

There are some fighters, they take it very personal, competition.

If you’re on my team, even when we’re losing and he’s smiling, he’s going to have big problems…
Anybody can lose, but you have to show your best.

That mindset became even more important after his father’s death. Nurmagomedov retired following his submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, honoring a promise to his mother.

But as he looked around the gym afterward, he realized leadership was no longer optional:

In our rules, if you’re young, you’re always wrong.

And somehow, when I finished my career, I become oldest on my team… My father passed away, and I’m like: “OK, I have to take this leadership, I have to lead this team, and I have to keep continuing my father’s legacy.”

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