MMA
Exclusive: Gadzhi Rabadanov talks about the importance of having Khabib as a trainer
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He is the reigning champion of the PFL World Lightweights Tournament, and Gadzhi Rabadanov returns this week to try to win it again.
First up on Friday for the Dagestani is a bout against former UFC fighter Marc Diakese.
Rabadanov had to prepare for the tournament during Ramadan, which required special planning.
"It’s a little bit hard, a little bit different," he told DAZN News. "We train at night, we rest, and sleep a little bit during the day. Sometimes we do one training session before Iftar, about one and a half hours before Iftar, and hard training at night, maybe at 10 or 11 PM, like this.
"All day, you stay fasting, you rest, maybe sleep a little bit, like that."
Rabadanov comes from the school of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and can now count on the support of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in his career.
"First of all, he is my older brother," Rabadanov said of Khabib. "He's the best coach because he has more experience than our team. He knows everything about fighting, I think.
"He's the best coach. He was the best fighter, and now he's the best coach."
The Dagestani trains at home, in a place that has trained many champions, such as Usman Nurmagomedov.
"We train, iron sharpens iron, like this, and nothing else," he said."We have a lot of tough guys. We have a lot of champions in the gym.
"Right now, we have a new generation. I think they will become new champions again. We have one of the best teams in the world."
When asked about the possibility of a fight with against Usman, Rabadanov turned down the possibility: "No. Never. Never."
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