Contained in the hat that helped form Khabib Nurmagomedov’s id
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV WAS strolling via an airport in Dagestan seven years in the past, on his option to catch a flight to america for his UFC debut, when he seen a retailer promoting distinctive souvenirs.
It was January 2012 and Nurmagomedov was about to board a flight from his homeland to Nashville, Tennessee. His then-manager, Sam Kardan, informed him to deliver one thing that will make him stand out in entrance of the U.S. viewers. Nurmagomedov’s pals prompt one thing that will be true to his heritage in Dagestan, a mountainous republic of Russia within the North Caucasus area. They informed him he ought to put on a papakha, a standard headdress worn by males — typically whereas going to conflict.
“UFC may be very large stage, very large platform,” Nurmagomedov mentioned, recalling his pals’ recommendation. “You possibly can present around the globe our tradition.”
UFC 242 includes a champion vs. champion conflict, with interim light-weight champ Dustin Poirier taking up world light-weight titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov in the primary occasion. Poirier snapped Max Holloway’s 13-fight win streak to earn the interim crown. Now he goals to dethrone Nurmagomedov, who’s 27-Zero.
UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier
• Saturday, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• Early prelims: ESPN+, 10:15 a.m. ET
• Prelims: ESPN+, midday ET
• Major card: ESPN+ PPV, 2 p.m. ET
High UFC 242 tales
• Khabib is a special sort of champ
• Dustin Poirier scouts himself
• Will Khabib’s wrestling stifle Poirier?
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So he purchased one. And it has ended up being one of the influential impulse purchases in UFC historical past. On the time, it appeared like Nurmagomedov was simply plopping down about $50 for a hat at a nondescript airport reward store. What he ended up buying was a tangible a part of his id. When many individuals hear his title, the very first thing they consider is the big sheepskin hat. It has turn into an article of clothes of nice significance.
“It is an honor to me to symbolize my conventional headgear around the globe, my tradition, my historical past,” Nurmagomedov mentioned. “… I’ve a chance. Individuals know me and I would like folks to know the place I’m from. I wish to present folks Dagestan, Dagestan tradition, Dagestan historical past, as a result of we have now very, very large historical past in Dagestan. If I’ve alternative, why not? Why not?”
Eleven consecutive wins later, Nurmagomedov is the UFC light-weight champion. He’ll defend his title towards Dustin Poirier in the primary occasion of UFC 242 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+).
And when Nurmagomedov walks to the Octagon, he’ll be sporting the identical papakha (pronounced: pa-PAH-hah) he purchased seven years in the past. However it will not be the one one within the enviornment as his loyal and rising fan base has embraced it as a present of assist.
Jon jones immediately mentioned “Khabib time when he noticed me and placed on Khabib’s papakha with out me even having to ask. He was so good to me and all of the followers. Jon spent an hour of his time taking photos with each fan who confirmed as much as the open work out . I am So excited for #ufc235 pic.twitter.com/pSJzqUBiCr
— Mini Khabib (@Mini_Khabib) March 1, 2019
A 12-year-old woman in San Diego named Kylie Meade has constructed a social-media marketing campaign round Nurmagomedov and his hat. On the UFC 209 open exercises in Las Vegas in March 2017, Nurmagomedov participated in a question-and-answer session with followers. Meade requested him why he wears the papakha, and Nurmagomedov defined that it represents his Dagestani tradition and symbolizes him going to conflict. Then he known as her up on stage and gave her an genuine papakha of her personal.
Meade, who makes use of the social media deal with “Mini Khabib,” attends UFC occasions together with her father, JC Cannegieter; fighters and different notable folks in MMA pose together with her whereas sporting a papakha. It is dubbed the “Khabib Time Problem,” and UFC stars corresponding to Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier and Max Holloway, amongst many others, have taken half. Meade posts all of the photographs and movies of her papakha interactions on social media for her greater than 96,000 followers on Instagram and greater than 10,000 YouTube subscribers.
“I needed to indicate Khabib that a variety of different UFC fighters assist him,” mentioned Meade, who will not be in Abu Dhabi for Saturday’s card. “I needed to unfold Khabib’s tradition with MMA followers and different fighters.”
Meade mentioned few UFC fighters have turned down her request to do the “Khabib Time Problem,” however Tony Ferguson, a longtime Nurmagomedov rival, wasn’t concerned with taking part in alongside.
“He simply declined,” Meade mentioned. “He was very nice about it, although.”
Joe Rogan has had the glory of sporting Nurmagomedov’s papakha throughout postfight interviews within the Octagon. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC through Getty Pictures
NURMAGOMEDOV IS PROTECTIVE of the papakha, though he has let different folks attempt it on, most notably UFC analyst Joe Rogan. After his debut win over Kamal Shalorus on Jan. 20, 2012, in Nashville, Nurmagomedov let Rogan put on the papakha throughout their postfight interview within the Octagon. Nurmagomedov then introduced Rogan his personal papakha throughout the UFC 219 weigh-ins on Dec. 29, 2017.
“After all I let folks put on this, as a result of lots of people come [and say], ‘That is like well-known papakha,'” Nurmagomedov informed ESPN lately. “They attempt to put on this.”
Nurmagomedov, whose group invited Meade into the Octagon after his UFC 219 win over Edson Barboza, may have enjoyable with the papakha, however he will not get careless, particularly when he is touring.
“I at all times care for this and I by no means put this to baggage,” he mentioned. “I at all times take this with me. As a result of typically you may lose your baggage. You by no means know. That is why I at all times deliver this with me.”
When he is coaching at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, Nurmagomedov retains the papakha at dwelling in Dagestan. Khabib entrusted his father, Abdulmanap, with the essential job of bringing it to Abu Dhabi for battle week.
Whereas Nurmagomedov is combating Poirier, the papakha might be within the care of his cousin Abubakar, based on AKA coach Javier Mendez.
“The papakha is to honor their conventional values — mountain cowboys,” Mendez mentioned.
Nurmagomedov’s followers in Dagestan wore papakhas to have fun his win over Conor McGregor in 2018. Musa SalgereyevTASS through Getty Pictures
THE HISTORY OF the papakha within the Caucasus may stem from Greek mythology, based on British creator and historian Robert Chenciner, who has written a number of books on Dagestan. Within the fable, Prometheus is punished by the gods and chained to a rock within the Western Caucasus, the place his liver is eaten day by day by an eagle. That goes on for years till Hercules slays the eagle and frees Prometheus.
Hercules wears a lion cover as a hat and it’s theorized that the sheepskin papakha was derived from that, Chenciner mentioned. Nurmagomedov’s nickname is “The Eagle” due to the chook’s prominence within the area. The eagle is on Dagestan’s coat of arms, and within the fable, the eagle is a logo for Zeus.
The primary accounts of the papakha being worn have been by horse-riding raiders known as jigits — “extraordinary warriors” — representing Caucasus republics like Dagestan and Chechnya in a conflict towards Russia throughout the mid-19th century, based on Chenciner. The papakhas have been used as “scare armor,” to strike worry into the opposition.
“It was reckoned throughout this conflict that one Dagestani may tackle 100 Russian troops,” Cheniciner mentioned. “These are traditionally critical folks.”
There are 13 UFC fighters who have been born in Dagestan, which has gained acclaim in MMA circles for producing high quality combatants. Nurmagomedov, who’s 27-Zero and one of many high pound-for-pound fighters on this planet, is probably the most profitable and he is the one one to put on a papakha.
His reputation and attain — practically 16 million Instagram followers — has allowed him to fulfill a number of world leaders, together with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Merch sales space in Abu Dhabi #UFC242 pic.twitter.com/GjsQrDGvqH
— E. Casey Leydon (@ekc) September 5, 2019
The recognition of the papakha is rising together with Nurmagomedov’s success. Papakhas “like Khabib Nurmagomedov wears” can be found on Amazon for $34.99, and replicas are being bought on website in Abu Dhabi. The considered an enviornment stuffed with followers sporting papakhas whereas cheering him on towards Poirier made Nurmagomedov set free a lightweight chuckle. “It is gonna be cool,” he mentioned.
Trying again, Nurmagomedov is glad that he determined to make that airport reward store buy in 2012. It has labored out higher than he may have ever imagined.
“I’m very profitable on this, as a result of [for] greater than seven years I take advantage of this platform for my papakha, and for greater than seven years I’m undefeated,” he mentioned. “Now I’m undefeated, undisputed UFC light-weight champion. Now everyone is aware of about papakha, everyone is aware of about Dagestan, the place I am from. Lots of people learn about Dagestan tradition, historical past. I believe my plan is working.”