Ismail Naurdiev didn’t have the easiest of upbringings and at times wondered if he’d even stay alive for the remainder of the day.
That was a result of growing up in war-torn Chechnya which is a stark contrast to how many other mixed martial artists spend their childhoods. Naurdiev (19-3) didn’t get the chance to become a member of a particular gym and couldn’t let his skills mature naturally over a set period of time. He was more concerned about keeping himself and his immediate family safe until the opportunity for a better life presented itself.