Khabib Nurmagomedov explained why he did not insult Conor McGregor
- Khabib Nurmagomedov refused to insult McGregor.
- He believes that stooping to the opponent's level is unacceptable.
- The fight on October 6, 2018, ended with Khabib's victory.
- Respect for family and traditions is the foundation of his position.
37-year-old Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov, a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and former lightweight champion, recently explained in an interview why he refrained from trash-talking the Irish fighter Conor McGregor. According to him, stooping to the opponent's level and using the same harsh expressions would be unacceptable.
“Can I stoop to his level and try to use the same words against him? No. We must stay away from that and be above it,” Nurmagomedov is quoted as saying in a social media post published by the FREAK MMA account. He added that respect for family and traditions plays an important role: “When your father is alive, and you come home after doing something bad, there are no conversations, there is no freedom of speech.”
Context of the conflict
The fight between Khabib and McGregor took place on October 6, 2018, at UFC 229 in Las Vegas. The match became one of the most discussed in the history of mixed martial arts, attracting the attention of millions of viewers and accompanied by loud statements from both sides.
In the fourth round, Khabib won by applying the submission hold 'remi-dzi-chok', after which an incident occurred involving a brawl between members of their teams. Despite the emotional intensity, Nurmagomedov emphasizes that his stance has always been focused on professionalism and respect.
For Khabib, such principles are shaped by the culture of Caucasian upbringing, where family honor and respect for elders are considered the main values. He believes that public insults only fuel conflict and distract from athletic achievements.
Conor McGregor, known for his provocative statements, often uses media platforms to create the image of a 'villain'. However, in Khabib's opinion, the response to provocation should not be in the form of new insults, but rather in demonstrating skill in the octagon.
Experts note that this approach helps reduce the level of aggression in the MMA community and helps maintain the sport's reputation as a discipline where victory is achieved through technique, not verbal battles.
Thus, Khabib Nurmagomedov remains committed to the principles of self-control and respect, even when it comes to the loudest confrontation in UFC history.
Source: Championat
