Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t afraid to tell his teammates – and relatives – the hard truth, if it’s honest.
That’s the case with Usman Nurmagomedov, following his recent and somewhat controversial unanimous decision win over Paul Hughes in a PFL title fight rematch on Oct. 3.
According to Khabib, who serves as a coach for Usman (20-0), his fighter may have underestimated Hughes (14-3), leading to the close fight and result.
“Brother, I’m going to be honest with you,” Khabib recently said in an interview with Josh Thomson. “When he fought with him in January, when he came back right after his fight to the gym, the way how he began training, I understand. Next time, he’s going to be a big difference. But Usman is never going to say this. But I feel, I underestimated him. Usman, he don’t talk about this. But I feel like I underestimated him.”
Usman does not have his next fight on the books and will not begin serious training until the new year, according to Khabib. But when the time comes for Usman to step back in the cage, Khabib said there’s no doubt he’ll look much better.
“After Jan. 1, they will have him stay focused,” Khabib said. “They have him beginning wrestling on his wrestling offense. They will have him beginning lifting and become much stronger this eight, nine months before the fight. I understand it’s going to be a much different fight. I was very comfortable. I was confident in this fight. … I don’t underestimate him. I know Paul is top guy. I watch his fights. I watch how he perform against A.J. McKee. A.J. McKee is high-level fighter. But I feel Usman a little bit underestimated him the first fight. This is what I think.”
Usman, 27, is widely-regarded as one of the brightest starts outside the UFC. He’s won five title fights under the Bellator and PFL banners combined.
