Khabib Nurmagomedov has experienced an understandably challenging build-up to his title defence against Justin Gaethje in Abu Dhabi this weekend, but coach Javier Mendez believes the lightweight champion will use his father’s death to spur him to victory.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who coached his son from an early age, died in July from heart complications accentuated by contracting Covid-19. The Russian, 57, was a hugely influential figure in mixed martial arts in his homeland.
On Saturday night, Khabib Nurmagomedov competes for the first time since the loss – he returns also to the octagon following 13 months out – when his clash with interim champion Gaethje headlines UFC 254, the “Return to Fight Island” finale.
Unbeaten in all 28 professional fights, Nurmagomedov’s last competitive bout took place also in Abu Dhabi.
Asked during media day on Thursday if the lead-up to the fight was more difficult mentally than that UFC 242 in September 2019, when Nurmagomedov's father cornered him for the only time in his UFC career, longtime coach Mendez said: "This one's harder. He's on track, but this is harder, no lie. I can see it. And one element, we all know it: his father. This has been even more of a lonelier time for him.
“[But] I think that’s what’s actually going to help us, too: the fact that he’s doing it for his father, and himself obviously. Because you can’t just do it for one person, it’s got to be for yourself.”
Coach to Nurmagomedov since 2012, Mendez has taken a more prominent role for this camp, the majority of which was based in Dubai. He was close to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, but in his absence has had a greater input in preparation for Gaethje.
“It does affect,” Mendez said. “When I had his father with me – even though I’ve only cornered one time and that was [against] Dustin – I would talk to Khabib about things, about how we would apply things, and he would always say, ‘Yes, my father says the same thing, coach’.
“I don’t have that any more, so I don’t have that that back-up, someone who grew with him and knew him better than anybody. So for me it’s a little bit more difficult, per se.
“But [Khabib’s] been handling it fantastic. He’s driven. He’s motivated to preserve the legacy that him and his father had planned. That’s the one thing I can say is great: his mind. It’s like he says, ‘Coach, if anything breaks it’s OK because my mind is not broken’.”
Tellingly, Mendez does not expect Gaethje to “break” either.
The American, who set up Saturday's encounter by dominating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in May, said on Wednesday that he was "screwed" if he allowed Nurmagomedov, arguably the greatest wrestler in UFC history, to force him onto the cage.
Mendez, though, acknowledged Gaethje’s seemingly indefatigable spirit, with the division's No 1 contender (22-2) often saying he thrives in "chaos" inside the octagon.
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UFC 242: Khabib dominates Poirier
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On whether Nurmagomedov forcing Gaethje onto the fence would sap that conviction, Mendez said: “Absolutely not. That guy ain’t quitting for nothing. That guy’s a true warrior. You have got to kill him to stop him, [that goes for] both of those guys. It goes in the middle, if it goes in the cage, he’s fighting, he’s giving his all.
“You’ve seen what a type of person he is. You’ve seen what kind of great warrior he is, the mentality he has. How can you not love him? If you don’t love him, you have to respect him.
“Obviously I’m Khabib’s coach and I love him and I want him to win and we’re doing everything we can. But Justin is as credible as they come in every department: mental, physical, how he approaches the fight game, how he acts. He’s great everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Mendez’s counterpart, Trevor Whittman, said the key to the fight would be whoever was stronger in the mind.
“This fight is 100 per cent mental," he said.
"These guys are at the highest level. It’s who can go out there and do what they do. You have to be in control of yourself to win championships and Khabib has been the best at that. He has controlled himself throughout fights. He’s had conversations with guys when he fights them.
"What we have to do is take him out of control. We’re not going to sit there and force him to be out of control; we’ve got to control ourselves and not break. Khabib breaks people.
"Justin Gaethje says the craziest things. I’ve coached for a long time and I’ve never had athletes say things in the way he says them. It’s real. He really loves a fight; he really says, ‘Hey man, if I die I want to die in here’. That’s crazy to me.
"And just to be real with that. Honesty and truth to yourself and your self-image is key in life. And I know he’s going to perform.”
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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PROFILE BOX:
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Rami Salman, Rishav Jalan, Ayush Chordia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Technology, Sales, Voice, Artificial Intelligence
Size: (employees/revenue) 10/ 100,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($800,000)
Investors: Eight first-round investors including, Beco Capital, 500 Startups, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Hala Fadel, Odin Financial Services, Dubai Angel Investors, Womena, Arzan VC
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
