UFC: Khabib and Vladimir Putin throw shade at Conor McGregor as Russian president praises chokehold
- Russian president congratulates UFC lightweight champion in Makhachkala meeting after win over Dustin Poirier
- Khabib says he fought opponent who ‘respected me’, and Putin responds: ‘A top-level athlete is supposed to be like that’
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s rise to superstardom shows no sign of stopping after the UFC lightweight champion had another sit down chat with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It’s becoming something of a tradition – Khabib and his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, also had a natter with Putin after the win over Conor McGregor last October.
Vladimir Vasiliev, the head of Dagestan – where the 30-year-old fighter was born and raised – was also at the Makhachkala meeting, with UFC president Dana White posting footage on his Instagram.
“I want to congratulate you. It was a decent fight against a strong and tenacious rival,” Putin told Khabib, via a translation by RT.
“Yes, the opponent was strong and respectable. This time around I fought against a person who respected me,” Khabib said, after earning a huge US$6 million pay cheque for his win against Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
Putin also joined in throwing some shade at Conor McGrgeor: “It depends on the person,” he said. “A top-level athlete is supposed to be like that.”