Khabib Nurmagomedov: preference

Transcript context

…Now you’re in this new position as a leader, and you’re looking at all these athletes, these young guys who are already at the very top of the world. And I think they’re all very different from one another psychologically, physically, and stylistically. What can you say as a coach? I know you’re not a coach, but as a leader, how do you figure out what each person needs? Like now we were watching Umar prepare. That each person needs something different. Yes, everyone is different. Different styles, different mentalities, different mindsets, different approaches to fight week and to preparation as a whole. But you have to adapt to all of it. Here, you can’t just take one approach. Let’s say we take my approach and apply it to everyone else, to Usman, Islam, and Umar. It doesn’t work like that. Everyone needs their own approach. I knew them since they were nobody, and I know them now when they are the best. So you have to treat each one differently. I’m very lucky to have Javier Mendez. He’s been by my side since 2012. And when I became a coach after I finished my career, he was there with me as a coach. I switched from being a fighter to a coaching role. My father was no longer with us. And together with Javier Mendes, we’ve been guiding them for these last six years. And his experience helps me tremendously because there is no coach, no MMA coach with the kind of results Javier Mendes has. You know? So many champions, double champions, UFC fighters. So many people have trained under him, from Frank Shamrock all the way to Islam Makhachev. So many fighters have trained under him, which makes things very easy for me because I have Javier Mendes by my side, and he can help me with so many things. What do you think is the secret behind Javier’s genius? Why is he such a great coach for so many different athletes?…

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