Khabib Nurmagomedov initially did not want a nickname. Nurmagomedov (29-0) is also known around the world as ‘The Eagle’. However, the former UFC lightweight champion recently revealed that he did not have a nickname before his UFC career. Nurmagomedov remembers being urged to use a nickname because his name was difficult to pronounce. Nurmagomedov chose ‘The Eagle’ because it is the symbol of his home country Dagestan.
A symbol of home
“When the UFC signed me in 2012, they said to me, ‘My friend, your name is very difficult to pronounce. You need a nickname,’” Nurmagomedov said at the World Sports Summit in Dubai. “I thought, ‘What? I have my name, why do I need a nickname?’ I asked my manager, “What does nickname mean?” He said, “Your name is very difficult for them to pronounce.” I took ‘Eagle’ because it is a symbol of Dagestan, but after six years everyone knows my name.”As Nurmagomedov became a household name in MMA, fans also learned to pronounce his last name correctly. Several elite Dagestani fighters such as Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov now no longer have nicknames.
Khabib reveals he didn’t want a nickname, but UFC said his name was hard to pronounce 😲😬
“When the UFC signed me in 2012, they told me, ‘My friend, your name is very hard to pronounce. You need a nickname.’ I thought, ‘What? I have my name, why do I need a nickname?’ I asked… pic.twitter.com/FHmj3I2cYe
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
December 30, 2025
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