Manager recalls Khabib's respect for media after UFC 223 title win eight years ago

Azamat Bostanov, now a fighter manager, shared memories from Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC 223 title victory in Brooklyn eight years ago. Despite manager Ali Abdelaziz initially telling Bostanov not to approach their team after he interviewed Artem Lobov, Khabib intervened and said he was just doing his job. Bostanov recalled 20-30 Dagestanis gathering at the hotel to protect Khabib from potential confrontations with Conor McGregor's team. After winning the belt, an exhausted Khabib still made time to interact with the large crowd at his hotel, taking photos and speaking with everyone. Bostanov also revealed that Zabit Magomedsharipov broke two fingers during his warmup at UFC 223 but fought anyway without telling the commission. Years later, Khabib would still recognize and greet Bostanov on the street, offering him a ride.