As Islam Makhachev gears up for his third lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 on June 1, Khabib Nurmagomedov is back in action. In 2020, the former UFC lightweight champion, in one of the most shocking retirements in the history of the sport, said goodbye to fighting, something he had been doing since he was old enough to walk after his father’s untimely death due to COVID-19.

However, given the long list of Dagestani fighters he was mentoring and training, ‘The Eagle’ continued to be a coach and cornerman until last January. That is when he announced he would be totally detached from the sport. But, the GOAT contender has made one exception to this: Islam Makhachev’s title fight.

Khabib Nurmagomedov joins Islam Makhachev’s UFC 302 camp

Reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov have fostered a friendship from their childhood days. Growing up only a few doors away from each other, the two were brought into martial arts by ‘The Eagle’s father, who had once been a combat sambo trainer in the Russian military.

And the two Dagestanis have been inseparable ever since. Both, of course, went on to become UFC champions with Makhachev having won the 155-pound gold off of Charles Oliveira at their UFC 280 bout in October ’22. In his corner, shouting instructions passionately and being an integral part of his training, was Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The former champion has not been in the corner since he bid adieu to the sport completely last year and has now returned to help Makhachev’s training as the reigning champion prepares for the UFC 302 title bout against Dustin Poirier. Surprisingly, this will be Makhachev’s first title defense against a fellow lightweight.

‘The Eagle’ took to his social media account to inform his followers and fans that he was with Makahchev, ahead of the momentous fight against one of his old foes. “Just landed 🛬 14 days before the @islam_makhachev fight #ufc302,” he wrote along with a picture of him with Makhachev and the latter’s team.

Now, as the bout approaches, Makhachev seems to be in high spirits.

Makhachev seems confident that he will defeat the ‘Diamond’

In what some would consider a bad omen, Islam Makhachev has no doubt that he will defeat Dustin Poirier because of his superior wrestling skills. And on paper, at least, few would dare disagree. Makhachev has not lost in his professional career as a fighter except for an unfortunate knockout in his second fight in the UFC.

Makhachev has dealt with the best of the best in the stacked 155-pound division, only improving with every fight, with his striking not far behind his historically skilled grappling. This is why he looks almost unstoppable at the moment, especially against Poirier, who made his thirtieth UFC appearance at UFC 299 and has lost two of his last four fights.

But in mixed martial arts, perhaps more than any other sport, anything can happen. All it takes is one second, one mistake, one momentary lapse of concentration, which can mean the difference between getting slept and walking away victorious. And Makhachev, many think, is being over-confident, which breeds complacency, which in turn has been the cause of many upsets.