Khabib Nurmagomedov on Politics and Why He Likes America

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently had the opportunity to offer his thoughts on some more pressing matters outside of fighting.

Nurmagomedov took part in an interview with podcaster Patrick Bet-David, where the pair touched on a variety of topics. 

Vladimir Putin and the Russian People

One such topic being the contrast between people in the United States, and those in his home country of Russia. More specifically, Bet-David asked “The Eagle” why Russian president Vladimir Putin is so beloved by the Russian people.

The former lightweight king explained that it more so has to do with how little it takes to make the Russian people happy. Especially those from his native Dagestan, who value things such as family and honor over money.

“In Russia, very small things make people happy,” Nurmagomedov said. “People don’t make $5,000 or $10,000 a month – I don’t know, where I’m from, Dagestan, I’m from Dagestan – we don’t need too much. Like, Dana asked me, ‘Brother, why you never ask me how much I’m going to pay you to come back?’ It doesn’t matter even if you give me $100 million, it doesn’t matter for me.

“You know why? Because I’m from Dagestan and we have traditional, and we have – when we talk with our mothers it’s everything for us. This is everything. I talked with my mother, we made the plan that it [against Justin Gaethje], was going to be my last fight. Finished. It’s a hard question. But we’re completely different people I think. I’ve been living in the US since 2012. Like, 11 years. I know the US people’s mentalities and I know the Russian people’s mentalities.

Why Khabib Likes Americans

“Completely different people. But I really like people here. Not only Russian people, I really like US people too. Because they’re all so nice people. They don’t care about what’s happening in politics or everything. This is the only place where I can go out by myself and drink coffee, sit – Even in Russia, in Dagestan, middle east, in Europe, I can’t go nowhere because everyone bothers me. But this one country, I can wear whatever I want, cover myself, no mask, I go to Starbucks and sit for one hour, drink coffee, enjoy my life.”

Nurmagomedov explained that he knows very well that he has the opportunity to be a big player in the political world should he choose to do so. However, the former 155-pound champion would much rather focus on helping people in his own way, within his own limits. Aside from that, he’d rather not partake in a political game that continues to change and present constant, new problems.

Khabib’s Thoughts on Politics

“If you want to bring me to, like, political games,” Nurmagomedov began, “I have a chance to become a big political – working like this. But I don’t want this. Everybody knows this. I want to stay away from politics because in politics things never stop. It’s always changing. Never stops, it’s always going to be some problems or these things.

“I just want to be a regular human. If I can help people, I’m going to help people. If I can not – brother, everybody has limits. Even you, me, everybody. I was the best in the world, but I have limits. With money, with our eyes, with our power. God gives everybody limits. Even if you have $150 billion in your bank account, even if you’re Mark Zuckerburg, there’s going to be Elon Musk who is richer than you.

“It’s like – everybody has limits and I don’t want to play political games. I just want to help people, inspire people, to spend my time with my family – and just be a good person. This is my goal.”