Former UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov gave his stance on women in professional fighting and MMA.Nurmagomedov retired in 2021 as the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion with a 29-0 record, and has since continued to coach the newest generation of fighters like reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Islam Makhachev and former champion Belal Muhammad.However, based on his comments made during a press conference held by the Sun Hills Development real estate company in Phuket, Thailand, he likely won't be coaching any emerging women's fighters."There are women who choose this sport. It's their choice. They chose it. If you ask me, I wouldn't choose this sport for women," he said. "It's brutal even for men, first of all. For women it's... I don't even consider it. If they want to come to the gym and train to be able to defend themselves, there are women who think they can come, train, and if someone attacks them, they can defend themselves."He continued, "Let them go and train, no problem. But for me, it's still something wild when a woman gets hit in the face. Whether it's a man hitting or a woman hitting a woman."He said that was especially the case when the woman is a mother, going into his upbringing involving traditional gendered roles. For a man, he said that life is about raising children and taking care of loved ones and neighbors."There are very few women who take on big responsibilities," he added. "It's very hard for them. It's not without reason. Even God created it this way. A woman is weaker, a man is stronger. People want to change and mix all of this... But I like when a man does men's work, and a woman does women's work."Nurmagomedov did emphasize that it's purely his belief and told the audience to make up their own minds, but that hasn't stopped discourse arising from his comments.
