Former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov is said to have been left awestruck by last weekend’s Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event in Saitama, Japan – describing the cross-promoted event as “unbelievable” according to Bellator president, Scott Coker.
Khabib, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, retired from active competition back in October 2020 on ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi, UAE – improving to 29-0 with a second round triangle submission win over then-interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje.
In the time since, the Dagestan native has turned his hand successfully to coaching – guiding both Islam Makhachev, and Usman Nurmagomedov to lightweight gold under the UFC and Bellator MMA banners, respectively, as well as heading up Florida-based promotion, Eagle FC.
Scott Coker details attending Bellator MMA vs. Rizin alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov
Attending Bellator MMA vs. Rizin on New Year’s Eve at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, Khabib, who sat alongside the above-mentioned, Coker, is said to have been left in amazement by the event and pageantry.
“It’s very interesting, because he (Khabib Nurmagomedov) wasn’t here in the heyday,” Scott Coker told assembled media at the post-fight press conference. “I got to see those fights. A lot ofyou know that [I’ve been] in the martial arts business a long time, I started working for K-1 in 199, so I got to see all the great fights in K-1. I got to see the great fights of PRIDE. And Khabib has never see the production and the fans, and he was freaking out.”
“He was telling me, ‘This is unbelievable,’” Scott Coker said of Khabib Nurmagomedov. “He kept telling me, ‘This is unbelievable. I had no idea that something like this was happening in Japan.’ And I said, ‘This is where it started, Khabib.’ This is where MMA and martial arts combat – it started here, it grew throughout the rest of the world, but there was a time when Japan had the best fighters in the world, the best production in the world, the best promotion in the world, and that’s why the UFC bought it (PRIDE). Just like my company, Strikefroce, I think we had a great roster, great events, so they (the UFC) bought it.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
It’s safe to say former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee enjoyed his time in Japan, where he defeated Rizin lightweight champion Roberto de Souza in the main event of the evening at Rizin FF vs Bellator New Years event. This was McKee’s first time fighting in Japan, and just his third fight outside the United […]
To the surprise of many, Bellator President Scott Coker saw his fighters go unbeaten in their New Years cross-promotion event with Rizin, going 5-0 through the five-fight main card. Rizin FF vs Bellator was hosted at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main card opened up with lightweight talent Gadzhi Rabadanov (19-4-2) defeating […]
Former Bellator MMA featherweight champion, A.J. McKee made sure of a main card clean sweep for the Scott Coker-led promotion tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, handing Brazilian submission artist and Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, A.J. McKee a unanimous decision loss in the main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin. McKee, a former […]
The MMA veteran and former top-ranked UFC contender John Dodson made an impressive debut in RIZIN earlier today. The US-born athlete made quick work of the DREAM and RIZIN veteran Hideo Tokoro. Dodson only needed one minute and forty-three seconds of fight time to finish the bout via knockout. John Dodson wins via KO in […]
The Filipino-born boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has just announced that he will be coming out of retirement for a bout with RIZIN in 2023. The 44-year-old boxer put together an incredible 62-8 record over his 26-year-long career in professional boxing, making his debut at just the age of 16. His last bout was a loss […]
!