UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov’s pupils went 2-1 at UFC 311 with his cousin Umar being the lone defeat for his team.
Khabib Nurmagomedov coached Tagir Ulanbekov, Islam Makhachev, and his cousin Umar in three high-profile fights at UFC 311 on Saturday in Los Angeles. Since retiring from fighting in 2020, Nurmagomedov has transitioned into one of the most respected MMA coaches in the world, developing some of combat sports’ top talents.
Ulanbekov kicked off the card with a win over previously unbeaten flyweight Clayton Carpenter on the UFC 311 prelims. The UFC lightweight champion Makhachev dominantly retained the lightweight belt in the main event, defeating Renato Moicano by first-round submission.
The lone setback for Team Khabib was from Umar Nurmagomedov, who suffered his first-career defeat to UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event. The early ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate was a back-and-forth battle with Dvalishvili rallying late to secure a unanimous decision victory.
It was an exhausting evening for Nurmagomedov, whose UFC Hall of Fame career was famous for his constant grind and destruction inside the Octagon. After getting a much-deserved good night’s sleep, Nurmagomedov issued his first public remarks on how UFC 311 played out.
Khabib Nurmagomedov evaluates coaching marathon at UFC 311
In a recent Instagram post, Nurmagomedov reflected on his exhausting night at UFC 311.
“Had a rough night last night as I expected,” Khabib Nurmagomedov began.
“[Islam] has once again proven that he is the best in the world right now, and I am very happy for him and the journey he has taken in this sport, in the history of mixed martial arts, very few fighters have achieved what he has achieved. Keep working my brother, this is not the limit.
“[Umar] keep your head up Junior, yesterday you showed that you are one of the best in the world, at the moment we have something to work on, we will work on the mistakes and return to the title race.
“[Tagir] did a good job and made me very happy, but I know he can do even better, this year we need to win a couple more fights. Don’t forget about our target, bro.”
Khabib reacts to Umar Nurmagomedov's loss at #UFC311
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 19, 2025
"Umar keep your head up junior. Yesterday you showed that you are one of the best in the world." 🙏
(via. IG / @TeamKhabib) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/0Ts0W3mFBB
Makhachev broke Nurmagomedov’s shared UFC lightweight title defense record with the win over Moicano at UFC 311 (5th career defense). He also earned the pound-for-pound king nod from UFC CEO Dana White following the event.
UFC 311 might’ve been one of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s final coaching shifts
Leading up to UFC 311, Nurmagomedov teased a looming retirement from coaching after a few more gigs. He retired from fighting in 2020 following his win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
With Makhachev solidified as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, Nurmagomedov will return his attention to helping Umar bounce back from his first-career defeat. This is a moment of adversity that Khabib never underwent during his UFC tenure, ending his fighting career with a 29-0 record.
In the meantime, Nurmagomedov will take a brief break before returning to the gym and continuing to coach some of the best fighters in the UFC. Hopefully, he won’t have to power through another marathon like he did at UFC 311.