Asaf
Chopurov credits Khabib
Nurmagomedov with inspiring his interest in mixed martial
arts.
Chopurov said Nurmagomedov’s discipline motivated him as a
teenager. He later traveled to Dagestan for a training camp with
Khabib’s father, the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
Advertisement
Asaf Chopurov credits Khabib Nurmagomedov and recalls
Abdulmanap’s Dagestan camp ahead of UFC 333 debut
Chopurov is scheduled to make his
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Colby
Thicknesse at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the
bout, he discussed what inspired him to pursue MMA.
“When I was 14-15, first of all, I saw Khabib Nurmagomedov and how
disciplined he was,” Chopurov told Ariel Helwani. “Then I also went
to Dagestan and did a training camp with Abdulmanap, and this was
really good motivation for me. After that, I just enjoying
fighting. That’s why I’m here.”
Chopurov (11-0) defended the UAE
Warriors bantamweight title twice before signing with the UFC
in September. The unbeaten Azerbaijani also trains with UFC
bantamweight champion Petr Yan.
Chopurov has finished 10 of his 11 professional victories,
including his last five. Thicknesse (9-1) has won twice since
suffering his lone career loss to Aleksandre
Topuria last year.
Asaf
Chopurov reflects on training under the legendary Abdulmanap
Nurmagomedov in Dagestan: „When I was 14-15, the first fighter I
saw was Khabib
Nurmagomedov and how disciplined he was. Then I went to
Dagestan and did a training camp with Abdulmanap, and this was
really good motivation for me. After that, I just enjoyed fighting.
That’s why I’m here.“— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani)
October 14, 2026