Azamat Bostanov, now an MMA manager, recounts his experiences covering Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC 223 title win eight years ago in Brooklyn. Despite manager Ali Abdel-Aziz initially forbidding approach to their team, Khabib personally intervened, saying Bostanov was "our guy, just doing his work." Bostanov recalls interviewing Artem Lobov after the infamous confrontation with Khabib, and describes a crowd of 20-30 Dagestanis gathering at the hotel ready to protect Khabib from potential Conor McGregor provocations. After winning the title, an exhausted Khabib still made time to photograph with supporters, engage with strangers in his hotel room, and speak via video calls to well-wishers' friends and family. Bostanov emphasizes that Khabib remained the same friendly, approachable person throughout his championship reign, even offering him a ride home a year later when spotting him on the street.
