Khabib defended journalist Azamat Bostanov at UFC 223 despite manager's objections

Azamat Bostanov, now a fighter manager, recalled his experience covering Khabib Nurmagomedov's championship win at UFC 223 in Brooklyn eight years ago. After Bostanov interviewed Artem Lobov following the infamous confrontation with Khabib's team, manager Ali Abdel-Aziz emotionally told him not to approach their team. However, Khabib intervened, putting his arm around Bostanov and telling Abdel-Aziz, "This is our guy, he's just doing his job." Bostanov also recalled Zabith Magomedsharipov fighting with two broken fingers that night without telling the athletic commission, and described the massive crowd in Khabib's hotel that evening. Despite becoming champion and achieving greater fame, Khabib remained approachable and friendly in subsequent meetings, even once offering Bostanov a ride after spotting him on the street in Moscow.