Undefeated UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov has once again made his stance clear regarding women’s participation in mixed martial arts, expressing his strong disapproval. The Russian phenom articulated his discomfort with witnessing female fighters sustain facial damage, whether in competition or during training sessions.
During a recent interview, when prompted for his opinion on the growth of women’s MMA, Nurmagomedov posed a direct question to a female reporter: “How do you feel about getting hit in the face?” He then expanded on his views, anticipating potential criticism for his perspective.
“The most precious thing on our body is our face, right? Every day, we all look in the mirror and want to look good. Men may be once, but if women have a mirror with them, they look 1000 times a day.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Reasoning Against Women in the Octagon
In the same discussion, Khabib Nurmagomedov elaborated on why he finds it difficult to accept women competing in the octagon. He acknowledged that while some women choose the sport, it’s not a path he would endorse for them.
“There are women who chose this sport. It’s their choice. They chose it. If you ask me, I wouldn’t choose this sport for women. It’s brutal for men, first of all. For women, I don’t even consider it…. For me, it’s still something wild when a woman gets hit in the face.”
Furthermore, Nurmagomedov emphasized the importance of traditional gender roles within society, stating that while women should learn self-defense, fundamental differences exist. “The Eagle” asserted that God created women to be “weaker” and men to be “stronger,” expressing his preference for these established societal structures.
“Every person in life has a mission. For a man, it’s to raise children, take care of the family, and take care of loved ones. There are very few women who take on big responsibilities. It’s very hard for them. It’s not without reason. God created it this way: A woman is weaker, a man is stronger. People want to change and mix all of this. I don’t know how you feel about it, but I like when a man does men’s work, and a woman does women’s work.”
This is not the first instance where Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments on women’s roles in combat sports have sparked controversy. He previously drew criticism for referring to ring girls in MMA as “most useless.”
