Khabib Nurmagomedov's Legacy Debated as His Training Base Hosts UFC Champ

Khabib Nurmagomedov's status as an all-time great is being debated again, with former champion Henry Cejudo publicly questioning the retired legend's wrestling credentials. This fresh controversy emerges as his legacy continues to shape the sport, from the elite training facility he helped popularize to the enduring mystery of the fights that never happened.

Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist and former UFC double champion, has discredited Khabib Nurmagomedov's wrestling acumen. Cejudo believes that Nurmagomedov, along with many other elite athletes, turned to Combat Sambo because they weren't good enough to succeed in pure wrestling. "People who do Sambo, they can’t wrestle, they can’t make it in wrestling," Cejudo claimed recently. This critique comes despite Nurmagomedov's perfect 29-0 record and his role in popularizing a dominant, wrestling-heavy style in the UFC that fighters like Islam Makhachev have since mastered. Cejudo, 39, has returned to wrestling competition himself, scoring a win over Merab Dvalishvili on the mats.

While his skills are debated, the infrastructure of Khabib's success remains in high demand. Current UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan is isolating at the Yug Sport Olympic training base in Kislovodsk, Russia, to prepare for his trilogy fight with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333. This is the same facility long used by Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team. Yan is working with coach Kairat Nurmaganbetov and trusted sparring partners like Asaf Chopurov and Kurban Gadzhiev, who was also in camp for Yan's last fight against Dvalishvili. The champion cited the base's complete infrastructure and ability to remove distractions as key to building the discipline and consistency needed for a title defense. His camp will also move to Dubai to continue preparations.

New details have emerged about the intense regimen that built Nurmagomedov's legendary career. His cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, revealed the retired champion's relentless fight camp routine, describing a philosophy of giving "100 Per Cent Every Time." This uncompromising approach to training, where every session was treated with maximum intensity, was a foundational element of the discipline that carried him to an undefeated record. It's this same culture of extreme dedication that Yan is now tapping into at the Kislovodsk base.

The shadow of the sport's greatest missed opportunity still lingers. The five cancelled bouts between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson between 2015 and 2020 denied fans a defining lightweight clash. Repeated injuries, medical emergencies, and travel restrictions prevented the fight from ever happening, leaving a permanent "what if" in UFC history. Nurmagomedov retired undefeated in 2020, while Ferguson's career declined sharply after an interim title loss to Justin Gaethje, sealing the rivalry as one that existed only on paper.

His in-cape achievements remain iconic. That fight, which unified the lightweight title, showed his smothering dominance and is a staple in any retrospective on the UFC's biggest moments in the Emirates.

• Legacy Debate: Henry Cejudo claims Khabib Nurmagomedov pursued Sambo due to insufficient wrestling success, challenging a core part of his fighting identity.
• Active Influence: UFC champ Petr Yan is using Nurmagomedov's Kislovodsk training base to prepare for his UFC 333 title defense against Merab Dvalishvili.
• Missed Classic: The Khabib vs. Tony Ferguson fight was booked five times from 2015 to 2020 but never occurred due to a series of unfortunate cancellations.