Islam Makhachev once kicked out of gym by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

Islam Makhachev was once thrown out of the gym by his late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov for refusing to cut his hair short.

The UFC lightweight champion was among 50 fighters expelled from the Dagestan facility in a single session, according to Khabib Nurmagomedov. The former lightweight champion told UFC Eurasia that his father enforced a strict grooming policy across his entire stable, with no exceptions for favourites.

Makhachev returned with a fresh cut after 40 minutes

Khabib said roughly three fighters came back a half-hour later with their heads shaved, including Makhachev. "Father saw that they had returned with haircuts and said, 'Yes, you can come in,'" Khabib recalled in the interview. "My father even said, 'See, they want to learn from me. So, they will get results.'"

Abdulmanap believed fancy hairstyles were the wrong way to make an impression. Makhachev remembered his coach saying a muscular neck, a quality belt, and polished shoes mattered more than grooming trends. The late trainer ran one of the most disciplined camps in mixed martial arts, producing champions across multiple weight classes before his death in 2020.

Makhachev defends his lightweight title later this year against an opponent to be announced at a still-unscheduled event.

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Why Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov once expelled Islam Makhachev from his gym