UFC 254 – What’s it like combating Chabib Nurmagomedov? “One thing I’ve by no means felt earlier than”

Would you wish to know what it is wish to play towards Khabib Nurmagomedov within the octagon? Ask somebody who thought they’d make it simple with Nurmagomedov as a result of he was about 70 kilos heavier – solely to appreciate they wanted to placed on extra gasoline. Ask Daniel Cormier.

“There have been occasions when Khabib had too few coaching companions and I am going to go in there and spare him, simple, I am not going to work onerous,” stated Cormier. “However truthfully, you possibly can’t get as simple as you need with Khabib. He isn’t the conventional 155 pounder. He is huge and he is robust.

“He can wrestle so it’s important to give him somewhat greater than you usually would give somewhat man, however that is what makes him so particular. He can stand throughout from me the octagon after which I used to be the heavyweight champion and I’d go in there and play with him somewhat and this man wasn’t scared. I’ve to offer somewhat greater than I’d usually give somewhat man as a result of this man is definitely making an attempt to win. “

Cormier and Nurmagomedov have been teammates on the American Kickboxing Academy since Nurmagomedov joined the UFC in 2012. When Nurmagomedov defends his gentle belt towards interim champ Justin Gaethje on Saturday, Cormier will work as a commentator within the combat towards Octagon. And Cormier is aware of what Gaethje can anticipate.

“He is extra in management, which is absurd as a result of I do not assume I’ve ever seen a person extra in management in my life,” stated Cormier, a former Olympic wrestler and UFC gentle heavyweight and heavyweight champion. “He is getting higher along with his strain on the prime. He is higher at following the placements as soon as he is on the prime as a result of he simply beat up the fellows for some time. He did not end them as usually as he wished . However now it’s. ” preparing.

“He is getting higher at studying to control the whole lot. All of this management that Khabib now does along with his legs wasn’t like that earlier than. He was a wrestling man like me; we tried to manage the whole lot with our arms and to And over time he developed the flexibility to manage along with his legs and it modified the sport utterly. “

Listed below are six of Nurmagomedov’s final seven opponents that describe what it’s wish to know what’s coming from Nurmagomedov however not be capable of cease it.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov controls Dustin Poirier with grappling and hits him with some soil and kilos late in Spherical 1. For extra UFC, join ESPN + http://plus.espn.com/ufc right here.

Dustin Poirier

Misplaced by submitting within the third spherical on September 7, 2019. (Watch this combat on ESPN +)

“It is simply so onerous to place your footwork on a man like Khabib who simply dumps you and bumps you into the fence, and his prowess towards the fence is one thing I’ve by no means felt earlier than.”

“His understanding of steadiness, the best way he makes use of his travels, his weight distribution, it is onerous to elucidate who’s by no means been pounded in a combat state of affairs. The man is sweet.

“If Justin can use his footwork, his outside wrestling, Justin could also be wrestling him open air. However towards the fence, I do not assume so.”

Al Iaquinta

Misplaced by unanimous determination on April 7, 2018 after the combat began at quick discover.

“Khabib is unorthodox on the toes. Although it’d look somewhat – I do not need to name it” newbie “- it is an issue. He is an issue. He has a superb chin. You take a look at Edson Barboza. The man’s world class and Khabib made him look regular.

“I did not need to be taken down, however I imply, I simply did it. Proper after the primary bell I went straight. The distinction to me is that I did not discover out that I fought him till what, 24 hours earlier than. I simply stated, “You realize what? Let’s simply rock. Let’s go. “I had no drawback on the planet. I simply went out and winged it.”

Edson Barboza

Misplaced by unanimous determination on December 30, 2017.

“I believe he is very robust. He is very robust mentally. Everybody is aware of his recreation. Everybody is aware of his recreation plan. And he goes there and [does] it.

“I believe that is what units him aside. Everybody is aware of what they consider the combat, what they do within the combat. Everybody is aware of that – and no person can cease him. I believe he is positively among the finest of all time.” Mild.”

Michael Johnson

Misplaced by submitting within the third spherical on November 12, 2016.

“It wasn’t something loopy that I had by no means seen earlier than, however I used to be actually apprehensive about its shutdowns. I wasn’t actually snug. I held my hips again as I threw punches and stretched out as a result of I did not need me apprehensive about his shot, if I had simply centered on myself it could in all probability have been a distinct story.

“Throughout my camp, I had lots of people listening to his wrestling, how good it was, how good his management was – if I wasn’t listening to those individuals with all of the cops —, I do not assume I’d It wasn’t even his wrestling that was an issue, it was positively his prime management. I believe he offers you a selection. You may defend punches or you possibly can attempt to get or you possibly can attempt to free your wrists He is at all times attacking and holding, he seems like a bloody middleweight and I used to be somewhat bit light-weight.

“Folks discuss in regards to the left hand I landed, however I by no means thought I might damage him as a lot as everybody thought. You see various things while you’re within the cage and I have not seen how Khabib was injured. I keep in mind he had a superb punch. That wasn’t my finest left hand as a result of my hips had been again and I did not leap in with numerous power as a result of I used to be apprehensive in regards to the degradation. “

Darrell Horcher

Misplaced by means of the second spherical of TKO on April 16, 2016 after the combat began at quick discover.

“I would not say he is that robust bodily. I’ve fought people who find themselves stronger. However he is adamant along with his sambo [Russian martial art]. As quickly as we hit the bottom, I could not transfer.

“He is actually good at getting his head off the center when he walks in. I practice with actually good wrestlers and you’ll lose time with one shot, however he was excellent at getting his head out of the best way. There was no manner I might. ” might hit him. The timing of his pictures is sweet, however he is not an awesome wrestler on that first shot. It is extra of a manner of chaining your self in your sambo. I received my hips out on his first shot, however he by no means stops. He’ll simply comply with you wherever you land and work your manner down.

“I work out with gentle heavyweights and heavyweights, and that is the most effective I’ve ever seen at his prime recreation. You get a lightweight heavyweight that in all probability weighs 230 kilos within the fitness center – it felt about the identical. His toes had been made from concrete I went again to my nook and keep in mind saying, “Yeah. You may’t transfer it when it steps on you. “They usually simply stated,” Effectively, do not let it step on you. “I used to be so drained. Its strain simply sucks the wind out of you. Even in case you are in form and I wasn’t in form as a result of I took it for a short while, it simply sucks it out of you. “

Rafael dos Anjos

Misplaced by unanimous determination on April 19, 2014.

“He has good waist management. I felt like he was kind of concentrating on holding me as a result of I did not have a scratch after that combat. I even known as my supervisor and requested him to combat once more instantly. I fought.” 49 days later.

“I keep in mind coaching little or no wrestling for this combat, which was considered one of my errors. I believed I might stick with it, however he is a superb wrestler. He beat everybody within the UFC.”

Editor’s notice: some citations had been beforehand printed.