Makhachev: "Khabib played a very important role in my career"

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev told how Khabib Nurmagomedov influenced his career.

"I met Khabib and his father when I first started training. I was seven or eight years old, I just went to school, and since then I've known Khabib and his whole family.

Khabib has played a very important role in my career because I've taken an example from him all my life, I've seen how he trains, how he wins, how he wins the belt. Our coach Abdulmanap planned that I will fight for the belt once Khabib finishes his career," Makhachev said in an interview with UFC.

Recall that on June 1 at UFC 302 in Newark, USA, Makhachev will make a title defense against Dustin Puryear.