KHABIBTIME

by Khabib Nurmagomedov/Zaur Kurbanov Nurmagomedov/Kurbanov

Here is the autobiography of one of the greatest athletes of our time, the UFC Lightweight Champion Habib "Eagle" Nurmagomedov. The frankest thoughts and confessions, unknown facts from his life and sports career, difficulties and obstacles to reaching the top of global MMA - all that you will learn directly from Habib by reading this book.

Genres: Biography, Mixed Martial Arts, Sports

606 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2019

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"So much has passed, so much sweat and blood has been shed, weight has been made and this night has been over. O the Almighty, grant me the opportunity to complete what I have begun."

Disclaimer: my being a big fan of Khabib perhaps makes me biased regarding the contents of this book, but I believe all can enjoy this tale of a boy who grew up in the mountains and overcame a great many foes in his pursuit of reaching the summit.

”Only now I understand how much having a dream means in human life. Maybe it was precisely those Saturday family evenings in Kirovaul watching fighting shows and tournaments that laid the foundation for my aspiration to world sporting heights.”

To begin attempting to understand Khabib Nurmagomedov is to understand the region from which he hails from, along with the harsh way of life characteristic of the Caucasus. A history of fighting, a land of warriors, Dagestan literally breeds world champions in various forms of martial arts. The athletic abilities of its habitants, though otherworldly in its own right, does not compare in importance to the strength of will and psychological endurance of all who call this nation home. I really enjoyed Khabib's descriptions of his childhood wherein we get to see that he was quite the troublemaker like any other growing boy his age, resorting to skirmishes frequently due to his lack of understanding of Russian at the time. The simplicity of desiring not much in such an environment has carried over into his adult life, I would say, as Khabib has stated that no matter how much money someone has, they still only eat one bread a day. Known for the headgear he darns, the papakha, he carries centuries worth of a warrior's spirit within him, and I truly believe that because of this fact, there is nothing one can do in the cage that can break Khabib's sheer force of will, no matter if he physically loses a fight in some future.

”Nothing that we gripe at can be avoided, and that which should be avoided will not be met in life's path.”

Dagestan is also a very devout region, Islam being the religion of practice amongst its people, Khabib being no exception. As someone whose family is Muslim, though I myself do not practice in full form, and whose ancestry traces back to the Caucasus Mountains as well, I find this aspect most personal to myself. Not one to ever curve his beliefs to suit the Western world, Khabib has never swayed from expressing his love and thankfulness for God, and its something about him that I admire greatly. Even in the face of thousands of booing fans, he never fails to praise God, becoming only more vocal and steadfast in his words and actions. He is a man who is secure in his path as guided by the compass predestined by God, and such a fortitude of mental strength born from this faith has shaped Khabib significantly both in and out of the Octagon. His impact as well should be considered since, through his humility and general good nature, he has become a role model the Muslim community and the rest of the world beholds with pride.

”But the main thing was the joy on Father's face. Looking at him, I wanted to fight again, so that his sincere smile and pride in his son's success would never leave him.”

While reading this autobiography, it is undeniable that the love Khabib has for his friends and family is another pillar of the man separate from the fighter. MMA fans all know of his frequent usage of the word 'brother', an epithet that I cannot help but smile at every time I hear him say it. He truly sees those who have supported him in times of despair and victory alike as his brothers-in-arm, beyond the technicalities of shared blood. The loyalty this group of brothers has for one another is really amazing to witness, going as far as to blindly go to war without having all the facts of the situation save for knowing a brother is compromised and needs help. I am rooting for the further success of Islam Makhachev, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, and Umar Nurmagomedov!

Another aspect of family that one must address when discussing Khabib is his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, or as he is commonly and endearingly referred to as in this book, 'Father-coach.' With his own achievements in the fighting world, Abdulmanap paved the way for combat sambo in the region, instilling core values of not only the sport but also of life in his pupils, especially Khabib. Through the classic parenting style of the East, there was much control over his son in attempt to move him onto the right path away from the dangers lurking in one's adolescent years. The relationship between these two is so pure in its love, and even now I struggle to put into words what this father has done for the success and growth of his son. It is clear for all to see in interviews and videos how much love there was, father and son. The passing of Abdulmanap was felt by the MMA world, but, of course, by Khabib the most, retiring after his recent fight against Gaethje in which he broke down into tears, a heart-wrenching exhale, a release of pent up emotions. I truly wish nothing more for Khabib and his family to find peace.

”The flight to the summit was only the beginning of a path - a new path. I had to hold onto the belt. I was ready to fight with anyone so that Father and my newborn son would long see the inscription on the UFC champion's belt displayed on or living room bureau.”

So, yes, all this to say that this autobiography has been a fantastic read for me as a fan but also as a person. There is a great deal of knowledge imparted by Khabib in this book, and his constant address of the reader made it connect very much with me in this regard. I hope that I can instill within me some of these lessons arching across the life and career of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undisputed and undefeated UFC Lightweight Champion.

”Your present day is the result and continuation of yesterday's day, my friend.”

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful

A must read for every MMA fan. Whether you like Khabib or not, the book does brilliant job walking you through the fighters’ mindset before, during, after the fight.

[Guava · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still remember that fight in great detail. I think that even after many years, everything that happened will continue to remain before my eyes.

I really appreciated this autobiography. In clear chronological order, Khabib Nurmagomedov recounts his family background, early childhood, his first steps in his martial arts career, and his eventual UFC fights, with a characteristic sense of candor and even humor. It did not feel ghostwritten in the slightest as many celebrity autobiographies are, and you could sense his thoughtfulness in telling the story of his life, especially when recounting certain stories meant to illustrate lessons he had learned from experience and from his father.

I was especially able to appreciate the extent of his father's influence on his life and career after reading this book. Nurmagomedov did not hold back in accounting for some degree of mixed feelings towards his father's disciplinarian methods, while always tying everything back to his sense of admiration, fear, and respect towards his father. The first half of the book was particularly excellent in his reflection on his upbringing in Dagestan, clearly explaining the region's history and culture for those not familiar with it, and conveying the importance of his family, culture, and upbringing in making him the person he is today.

The second half of the book, after Nurmagomedov enters the UFC, feels a bit rushed in pacing in comparison. While there is an entertaining recount of each UFC fight, with some definite surprises as to Nurmagomedov's thought process - it's interesting to hear which fighters he really thought gave him difficulty, versus ones he perceived as more phoning it in - the narrative becomes more of an order of events. It flies through fights, training processes, injuries and recoveries, without the sense of thoroughness of the previous half. For example, later in the book Nurmagomedov mentions that he considered quitting his career in MMA after a series of major injuries, however when discussing these injuries in the appropriate part of the book, this consideration is not mentioned. I got the sense that perhaps events were not explained in detail due to privacy reasons or even the narrator's own lack of reflection during this time due to a grueling schedule and constant business.

Despite this, the book still remains an excellent account of Nurmagomedov's career up until his fight with Conor McGregor, after which it ends. It feels like having a front seat pass to the action and thought process of all these events - finding good managers, good trainers, the weight cutting, the travel, and relying on family and community to see you through it all.

A note on the translation that other reviewers have mentioned - it was okay, passable, even, though not without some distractions, until the last third of the book. The translation quality became awful in the last third (around the time of preparation for the McGregor fight) and almost indecipherable at times especially during the McGregor fight itself. I had to reread some sentences multiple times to figure out what they could even mean ("what exactly was a question for him written directly on his forehead at the beginning of the second round"). Also some paragraphs were repeated twice, but with slightly different translations, so I assumed that the translator had tried out some different ways of translating the same paragraph and left the drafts in.

Overall, I'm still looking forward to future sequels for this book, as Nurmagomedov mentions that there will be a "second part of this book" on the very last page. KHABIBTIME really surprised me with its depth of feeling, thought, and effort (the book is over 500 pages long) on the part of its narrator in recounting his life story and trying to have it be of value in every way for the reader. I would have really loved to have a physical copy of the book and hope that a second installment will carry on everything I liked about the first and more.

[Luis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of insight into the mind of a champion

The book was literally riddled with typos and misspelled names, which at times was distracting. Other than that, this really sheds light on the upbringing of Khabib and the influence of his father in not only his career but also the career of others from the region. Khabib also gave a bit of a history lesson about the region.

After watching Khabib compete over the years it was interesting to read about what led up to certain events, and his perspective on some of the fights that I have enjoyed. It is also very admirable the amount of respect the fighters from Dagestan have for each other. Overall, a decent book with way too many typos.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been fan of the UFC for some time. Starting around the time Conor McGregor had become the lightweight champ however over the last few years my interest has gone. It was during that period I can say I was in awe of Khabib. He is the definition of a fighter and athlete and an individual whom I had wanted to learn more about. I found this book by chance just recently and immediately picked it up. If you want to look in to the life of a driven, elite, champion, read this work.

Aspects of this book that stood out for me were descriptions of his early life in Dagestan and how family and religion play such prominent roles. His dedication, belief and faith in his father is exemplary. It is perhaps one of the core parts of this work that I admire most. Other parts, his analysis of the fights he was in, the preparation involved and then the analysis of the fights themselves are wonderfully brought forth. The final part of the book, his engaging with Conor McGregor is something I thought he might take a strong swipe at him for but in all honesty he does it in a very dignified way, in my opinion. His analysis of Conor is something I agree with, and I was, at one time, a fan. McGregor is not a warrior, maybe once he was but after the fame and money he is little more than a showman. Khabib is the ultimate version of a warrior. You can see it is in his very being. Islam Makhachev is that way as well and Khabib's description of him and their bond, in this work, is also special.

Overall, this is probably the best Autobiography of an elite individual I have read. Sadly, there are many typos in the Kindle edition and the grammar is a bit off here and there but honestly, it works in a funny way because, as I read it, I could hear Khabib reading it and that is also something special in a work.

Highly recommended! Five plus stars! I cannot wait to see the forth coming documentary on Khabib.

[adnan khalid · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting and inspiring

This is the story of the eagle who rose from the mountains of Dagestan and conquered the world of MMA. It is well written, very inspiring . Khabib is a great role model for our youth. Despite his fame, power and elite fighting abilities. He is a humble man still respect/ listens to his parents , is a deeply religious person and a family man. He fights for his honor and legacy. I would highly recommend this book

[Mohd Hafiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read. So inspiring. The way Khabib grew up under the guide of his father, so inspiring. Every Khabib's fan should read this. A story of how major victories in life are forged!

[Aslam]

By

[Firdausi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not disappoint hahaha

[John Bueter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I usually read the autobiographies of people who peak my interest. I enjoyed his story - especially speaking of his relationship with his father.