Khabib Nurmagomedov: UFC legend 'on track to being the greatest coach of all time'

Javier Mendez said Khabib Nurmagomedov can become ‘the greatest coach’ in the world.

The former UFC lightweight champion announced his retirement from MMA almost two years ago following his win over Justin Gaethje in a unification bout at UFC 254.

Since then, he has taken up a full-time position as a wrestling coach at American Kickboxing Academy.

Nurmagomedov, 34, will be in Islam Makhachev, Zubaira Tukhugov and Belal Muhammad’s corners at UFC 280, and has evidently impressed his former trainer Mendez.

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“He’s been coaching forever,” he said during an appearance on the 'UFC Unfiltered' podcast per MMA Junkie. “Even when he was fighting, he was coaching.

"He’d be sparring through these five rounds and all of a sudden he’d be sitting there with us coaching the guys. He’s been doing that forever. His father had trained him from such a young age to take the responsibility over – as a fighter, as a coach – and he’s taking over his father’s footsteps.

“He’s learned from me, he’s learned from his father – mostly his father. But to me, he’s on track – in my opinion because of his age, what he’s doing, the camp I see, the fighters he has – he’s on track to being the greatest coach of all time, in my opinion. I see it. I see the writing on the wall.”

Mendez will also be in Makhachev's corner when he challenges former champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title next weekend.

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Dagestani native Makhachev, 30, has won four fights since Khabib's retirement, and is another to have impressed the former kickboxer.

He added: "I