Manager recalls Khabib's graciousness during UFC 223 title win in Brooklyn

Azamat Bostanov, now a fighter manager, shared detailed memories of Khabib Nurmagomedov's first UFC title victory eight years ago at UFC 223 in Brooklyn. Bostanov recalled interviewing Artem Lobov after the infamous confrontation with Khabib, which initially angered manager Ali Abdel-Aziz, but Khabib intervened saying "This is our guy, he's just doing his work." He described 20-30 Dagestanis gathering at the hotel ready to prevent provocations from Conor McGregor's team. Bostanov also revealed that Zabit broke two fingers during his warm-up but told no one to avoid being pulled from the fight by the athletic commission. After the event, despite exhaustion, Khabib spent time with a massive crowd in his hotel, taking photos and talking to strangers on video calls. Bostanov emphasized that Khabib remained the same approachable person throughout his championship reign, recounting how Khabib once spotted him on the street and offered him a ride.