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Khabib Slams UFC's Shift from Merit to Marketability

12/30/2025

Summary

Story summary

Khabib Nurmagomedov criticized the UFC's focus on entertainment over athletic merit after welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov was released.
Speaking at World Sports Summit in Dubai, he said fighters who do not trash talk are cut.
He noted Dagestan fighters struggle for recognition due to this shift.
Islam Makhachev, UFC lightweight champion, said foreign fighters must improve English to succeed in Western promotions, underscoring tension between performance and marketability.

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Story summary

Khabib Nurmagomedov criticized the UFC's focus on entertainment over athletic merit after welterweight Rinat Fakhretdinov was released.
Speaking at World Sports Summit in Dubai, he said fighters who do not trash talk are cut.
He noted Dagestan fighters struggle for recognition due to this shift.
Islam Makhachev, UFC lightweight champion, said foreign fighters must improve English to succeed in Western promotions, underscoring tension between performance and marketability.