Khabib Nurmagomedov will face Conor McGregor for the lightweight crown in UFC 229 on Saturday, and viewers will be treated to a unique sartorial choice from the favored Nurmagomedov.
Hailing from the Russian-controlled region of Dagestan, Nurmagomedov is often seen wearing a fuzzy blond hat on his head, most commonly when he enters the ring or appears at a pre-fight press conference. So what's the story behind Nurmagomedov's headgear? Here's what you need to know.
Nurmagomedov hat is called a papakha (pronounced “puh-pah-hah”), native to Dagestan, a Russian territory just west of the Caspian Sea.