Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
The UFC lightweight champion met with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, in the days following his UFC 242 victory.
In the days following his submission victory against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi, Khabib Nurmagomedov met with several high ranking Emirati princes who congratulated him on his dominant performance.
On Monday, September 10, the UFC lightweight champ was received by Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the Qasr Al Bahr Palace in Abu Dhabi.
The Crown Prince shared a video of the meeting on his Instagram account, which showed Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed receiving Khabib and other delegates, senior officials and UAE citizens.
Sheikh Mohammad is the elder brother of Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, one of the most influential figures in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu scene. He founded the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), a martial arts facility equipped with world class instructors and resources. BY 1998, he created the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships, an international grappling tournament that eventually became the single most prestigious event of its kind. Over the years, the annual showcase has featured UFC and PRIDE competitors such as Tito Ortiz, Enson Inoue, Jeff Monson, Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, Fabricio Werdum, and Matt Hughes.
Sheikh Tahnoon transformed the martial art into an official government program, heavily promoted the sport, and even incorporated into the local educational system. As a result, BJJ has enjoyed a gradual rise in popularity in the UAE. Sheikh Tahnoon was also instrumental in helping government-owned entertainment consultancy group Flash Entertainment purchase a 10% stake in the UFC back in 2010.
On Thursday, Nurmagomedov met with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan shared pictures on his Instagram account which showed him embracing the UFC champion and posing with the lightweight title. Nurmagomedov’d father and entourage were also present at the time.
The UFC lightweight champion’s victory tour will likely continue when he returns to the Russian Federation.