Khabib welcomed journalist at UFC 223 despite manager's initial objections

Russian journalist Azamat Bostanov recalls the atmosphere at UFC 223 in Brooklyn eight years ago when Khabib Nurmagomedov won the lightweight championship. After Bostanov had interviewed Artem Lobov following the famous confrontation with Khabib, manager Ali Abdelaziz told him not to approach their team. However, Khabib overruled his manager, putting his arm around Bostanov and saying 'This is our guy, he's just doing his job.' Bostanov also remembers a group of 20-30 Dagestanis gathering at the hotel entrance to prevent any provocations from Conor McGregor's team. After the victory, despite being exhausted, Khabib took time to greet everyone, allowed Bostanov to wear his championship belt for photos, and personally spoke with numerous people via video calls in his hotel room. Years later, Khabib still recognized Bostanov on the street and offered him a ride, demonstrating consistent humility despite his growing fame.