Check out this short clip of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father putting his pupils through drills in the Dagestan Mountains.
Much has been said about UFC competitors from the North Caucasus and the feverish pace they are able to set during their fights. It is not a natural characteristic of their game, but one that is developed after years of high elevation training in the mountainous terrain of the region.
Many fighters from the current crop of UFC competitors from Dagestan currently train under the tutelage of Khabib Nurmagomedov's father, Abdulmanap. Widely regarded as one of the most renowned wrestlers of his era, Abdulmanap won Ukrainian National Championships in both Judo and Combat Sambo, as well as the Dagestan National Championships in freestyle wrestling.