Survivor Khabib: Ex-UFC Champion Details Training Camp Methods

Not all fighters can survive a full combat camp under Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov has transitioned into coaching since retiring from MMA in 2020. The former UFC lightweight champion’s training sessions are known for being brutal and leaving no room for slack.

Nurmagomedov (29-0) recently revealed what a usual fight camp under him looks like. The team consists of approximately thirty fighters, who train four hours a day: two hours of MMA training and two hours of cardio. “The Eagle” revealed that most of the fighters are exhausted after a week and face the head coach of the American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez. While Mendez largely dismisses their pleas, he sometimes advises Nurmagomedov to take it easy. Nurmagomedov understands that not everyone is ready to leave everything on the mats, and they need to be trained differently.

Good cop, bad cop

“Four weeks before the fight, about 30 people come and we train day and night,” Nurmagomedov said at the World Sports Summit. “In the morning we train MMA, and in the evening we just do cardio. Maybe boxing cardio, wrestling cardio. Two hours in the morning, two hours at night, every day we train for four hours. Guys, when they come here, after a week they feel very tired and they try to talk to me, and if they are not successful, they go to coach Javier. Coach Javier usually says no. But sometimes he says, ‘Khabib, I think you should take it easy with this guy.’ Because some fighters don’t know how to take off. Some fighters want to do their best, but some fighters like to cheat a little. Because everyone is different and we need to know them personally.”