Khabib tells friend Islam Makhachev to ‘just lose’ if he cannot handle UFC media duties

Former lightweight champion Khabib is part of his fellow Dagestani’s coaching team

Khabib Nurmagomedov has suggested that his childhood friend Islam Makhachev should “just lose” if he cannot handle the media duties that come with being a rising UFC star.

Nurmagomedov’s dominant run in the mixed martial arts promotion took the Russian all the way to the lightweight belt, which he retained in all three of his title defences – submitting Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje between 2018 and 2020.

Nurmagomedov retired from fighting undefeated immediately after beating Gaethje, but the 33-year-old now works as a coach and corners his fellow Dagestani Makhachev.

Makhachev, 30, is seen by many in the sport as UFC lightweight champion-in-waiting, and he will look to take another step towards the gold this Saturday as he faces Bobby Green in a Fight Night main event. The Russian was originally scheduled to face fellow contender Beneil Dariush, but the American’s injury-enforced withdrawal led his compatriot Green to step in – just two weeks after he beat Nasrat Haqparast via decision.

In a video on Khabib’s YouTube channel, Makhachev looks frustrated by the number of interviews in which he has been forced to partake ahead of this weekend’s main event. Khabib expresses little sympathy for Makhachev, however.

Khabib retired three months after the death of his father and coach Abdulmanap (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“I think this is like big preparation before a fight for the title,” Nurmagomedov says in the video.

“I think he complains a little bit about too much media. Like coach Javier [Mendez] said: ‘If you don’t want [this], just lose. Nobody is gonna come.’ Very simple.

“This is your job, brother. Who cares [if] you’re tired? Nobody cares, you have to do this.”

Makhachev (21-1, 3 knockouts, 10 submissions) is on a nine-fight win streak that stretches back to 2015, when he suffered the sole defeat of his professional career.

UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to defend his title against former interim title holder Gaethje in May, with Makhachev well positioned to take on the winner of that bout if he beats Green in Las Vegas.