UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t fight during Ramadam and has now explained why.
Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims and consists of 30 days of fasting without food or water from sunrise to sunset. This year, that takes place from April 23 to May 23, just a week after his fight against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249.
Although some fighters still fight during Ramadam, Nurmagomedov is not one of them and says he doesn’t want to risk injuries to his body.
“Ramadan, I take like a little bit off training – but I’m still (MMA) training, too,” Nurmagomedov said at Dominance MMA’s media day this past Saturday in Las Vegas (via MMA Junkie). “I spend this time with family, parents, go to the mosque, pray, and day (to) night fasting. And, of course, we’re training, too.
“It’s very hard and very dangerous, too. All day, you don’t drink and you don’t eat. Injuries can come. That’s why we (don’t have) too much contact, and without sparring. It’s still hard.”
Even though Ramadan only takes place until the end of May, Khabib Nurmagomedov normally won’t return until the fall. He says that is because he needs almost two months to recover after fasting.
“After Ramadan, we need minimum 45 days to recover – athletes, not (non-athletes) because we compete at a high level, and that’s why we have to watch everything” Nurmagomedov said. “After Ramadan, 40, 45 days we need recovery because times change, a lot of things like food, how you eat, when you eat. A lot of things change. We need one and a half months for recovery.”
Should Nurmagomedov get past Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, UFC president, Dana White has made it known he wants to book the rematch with Conor McGregor. Yet, the undefeated, Dagestani champion has made it clear he is not a fan of granting the rematch.