Before the rivalry became the biggest grudge match in UFC history, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov once shared a quiet, respectful moment behind the scenes.
An unreleased interview with Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov has resurfaced during UFC 329 fight week, offering a very different picture of the relationship between McGregor and Khabib before everything turned toxic.
The footage recalls a moment from 2015, when ‘The Notorious‘ was reportedly training in the same facility as Islam Makhachev’s camp ahead of Makhachev’s UFC debut against Leo Kuntz. Makhachev went on to submit Kuntz in the second round at UFC 187, but the story Abdulmanap told was not about Islam’s fight. It was about McGregor walking over and showing respect.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s Old Conor McGregor Story Shows How Different the Khabib Rivalry Once Was
In the interview, Abdulmanap was asked whether he believed Conor McGregor would ever move up to lightweight. He responded by revealing that the Irishman had already been around Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team during that period.
Abdulmanap said:
“When I was in Islam Makhachev’s camp for Leo Kuntz fight, Conor McGregor was there training as well. He trained with his own team, while we trained separately. At one point, we were watching some fighters spar. Conor walked over to the cage, shook Khabib’s hand, and then shook mine.”
“I asked him how much he weighed. He said 82 kg. He can easily compete in the lightweight division.”
When the reporter asked whether he hoped Khabib would fight McGregor one day, Abdulmanap gave a simple answer.
“It’s my dream. It’s simply my dream.”
Check out Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s comments about Conor McGregor below:
That dream eventually became reality in 2018, but not in the friendly atmosphere described here. By the time McGregor and Khabib met at UFC 229, the rivalry had become deeply personal. ‘The Eagle’ submitted McGregor in the fourth round and retained the lightweight title in one of the most watched fights in UFC history.
That is what makes the old Abdulmanap clip so striking. Before the insults, the bus attack, the press conference chaos, and the post-fight brawl, there was a version of this story where McGregor simply walked over, shook hands, and shared a normal moment with Khabib’s team.
Different time. Different energy. Same rivalry before it became something much darker.
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