The UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2025 takes place this Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, and the influence of a retired former champion looming large over the night’s two championship bouts.
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov returned undefeated with a perfect 29-0 record, and is now working with the fighters who helped take him to the top of the sport in his new role as coach.
Nurmagomedov will be in the corner for undisputed UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event, as well as for his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov, who challenges for the bantamweight title in the co-main event.
But for Khabib, it’s a challenge he’s still trying to grapple with as he looks to pass on his knowledge to others in a bid to get them to the summit of their respective divisions.
“I didn’t know it was going to be as hard as this,” he told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
“When I was fighting, it was more easy for me, because I was preparing myself when I go to the cage. When I go to the cage, I was fighting, I was controlling everything that was happening.
“But this life, like coaching life, it completely different than fighting life, because I just can only talk, I cannot do anything. I just can give my brothers advice and stay outside the cage. This is not what I am used to doing all my life. That’s why it’s like a little bit of a headache for me.”
Khabib will corner three fighters on Saturday night, with flyweight contender Tagir Ulanbekov scheduled to open up the early prelims before Umar Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev look to close the show with title fight victories.
“It’s going to be difficult,” he said.
“I’m going to begin on the prelims with Tagir, then I’m gonna have, I think, a couple of hours to sleep. I will try.
“For sure, it’s gonna be a difficult night, because three opponents (are) all very competitive fighters, you know? Tagir’s opponent, Merab, Arman, they’re very high-level fighters, you know? I’m gonna be ready.”
