“For me as a young boy, my older brothers have always been an example,” he said. “There was no internet back then and I was looking forward to news from their performances and their achievements. I saw how our relatives rejoiced at their success. Maybe this was the reason for the love of the sport for me.
“Regarding education, it was my father who insisted,” Nurmagomedov continues. “He said that I have to have a higher education. Only now I am thinking about and where I will find myself after the sport and what I would want and like to do after. Before, I had no such thoughts, it was all about sport.”
UFC 283 INTERVIEWS: Deiveson Figueiredo | Brandon Moreno | Jéssica Andrade | Order The Event
And Nurmagomedov was something special in his chosen paths. In university, he earned a Business Management degree, and in the world of combat sports, he became a world champion in amateur MMA and combat sambo.
In 2016, he made his pro MMA debut and was off and running.
“I have been in sports since childhood,” he said. “And there was no sudden realization that I could become a world champion. I just trained, acquired skills, until a dream was born, and so I set a goal for myself.”
The pursuit of that goal has led him to a perfect 15-0 pro record that includes three UFC victories over Morozov, Brian Kelleher and Nate Maness. Next up is his toughest test to date in Brazil’s Barcelos.
