If you’ve ever watched Islam Makhachev fight, you probably had déjà vu — the relentless pressure, the flawless grappling, the calm focus. It all feels familiar. That’s because his entire fighting philosophy comes straight from the Khabib Nurmagomedov school of training — one of the toughest systems in the MMA world.
But here’s the twist: while Islam trains like Khabib in many ways, he’s also refined and modernized parts of that routine. This blend of tradition and evolution is what makes him such a dominant and disciplined fighter today.
Let’s break down exactly how Islam Makhachev trains like Khabib, from his daily schedule and mountain workouts to his mental preparation and team culture.
️ 1. The Dagestani Foundation — Discipline and Simplicity
Both Khabib and Islam were raised in Dagestan, a mountainous republic in southern Russia where wrestling is practically a way of life.
Kids there start training before school age — not for money or fame, but because competition is part of the culture.
Islam once said:
“In Dagestan, everyone trains. If you don’t, you’re the odd one out.”
The training environment there is raw: no flashy gyms, no air conditioning, no shortcuts. Just hard work.
That’s where Islam learned grit, humility, and endurance — the same traits Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, demanded from every fighter he coached.
Their foundation is built on:
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Wrestling first — learning to dominate position before learning submissions.
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Respect and obedience — no ego, no showboating.
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Repetition and control — drilling moves thousands of times until they become reflexes.
So, when you see Islam’s calm dominance in the octagon, that’s not luck or talent — that’s Dagestani discipline, the same mindset that shaped Khabib.
2. The Philosophy of “No Days Off”
Islam follows the same work ethic that made Khabib legendary: train every day, stay humble, and focus on constant progress.
Their routine doesn’t rely on motivation — it’s routine-driven, almost like a soldier’s schedule.
Typical Dagestani fight camp (especially under Khabib’s team) looks like this:
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Morning: Cardio (mountain runs or uphill sprints).
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Afternoon: Wrestling or grappling drills.
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Evening: Striking and positional sparring.
Even rest days often include light shadowboxing or stretching.
There’s no party culture, no nightlife — their free time is spent with family, prayer, and recovery.
That’s why Islam, like Khabib, rarely looks out of shape between fights. Their version of an “off-season” is just a lighter training week.
♂️ 3. Mountain Training — The Secret Weapon
One of the most unique parts of Dagestani training is altitude conditioning.
Islam, just like Khabib, often trains high in the Caucasus mountains, where oxygen levels are low.
Running or wrestling at that altitude builds insane cardiovascular endurance and mental resilience.
When these fighters drop back to sea level for UFC events, their stamina feels superhuman.
They don’t slow down — they just keep applying pressure round after round, breaking their opponents mentally and physically.
That’s why so many fighters say it’s impossible to “out-grind” a Dagestani athlete.
4. The Wrestling-to-Sambo Connection
Khabib and Islam both come from a combat sambo background, a Russian martial art that blends wrestling, judo, and striking.
Their entire fighting style revolves around one idea: control before damage.
In practice, that means:
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Secure the takedown.
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Neutralize the opponent’s hips.
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Apply steady pressure until they make a mistake.
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Then strike or submit.
Islam drills these same sequences daily. Every sparring session includes specific position work, where they start from bad spots (like bottom half guard or turtle) and must escape or reverse.
That’s what makes them so hard to finish — they train for every possible situation.
♂️ 5. Mental Conditioning and Faith
Something people underestimate about Dagestani fighters is their mental calmness.
Both Khabib and Islam are deeply religious Muslims who integrate spiritual discipline into their training.
They pray five times a day, fast during Ramadan, and maintain a mindset of gratitude and humility.
This inner peace translates directly into fight composure — they don’t get angry, emotional, or overconfident.
Khabib used to say:
“Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it.”
Islam lives by that same quote. His calm, focused demeanor in fights isn’t a persona — it’s who he is, shaped by years of disciplined living.
6. Training Under Khabib’s Leadership
After Khabib retired, he took over coaching duties for Eagles MMA, the Dagestan-based team where Islam trains.
Now, Khabib is often in Islam’s corner — literally and figuratively.
Under Khabib’s guidance, Islam’s training evolved in two key ways:
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Strategic focus — studying opponents in detail and crafting fight-specific game plans.
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Technical polishing — especially improving striking combinations and cage control.
Khabib treats Islam not just as a student but as the torchbearer of their team’s legacy.
Their chemistry is built on trust, shared faith, and thousands of hours on the mats together.
️♂️ 7. Modern Science Meets Old-School Grind
While Islam’s training mirrors Khabib’s old-school Dagestani work ethic, he’s also embraced modern sports science — something Khabib never had access to early on.
In Abu Dhabi, Islam trains with professional conditioning coaches, uses recovery technology (ice baths, cryotherapy, and oxygen chambers), and has nutritionists overseeing his weight cuts.
The goal? Combine ancient toughness with modern precision.
It’s why his performance looks even sharper and more efficient than Khabib’s — same philosophy, refined execution.
8. Team Culture — Brotherhood Over Individuality
Both Khabib and Islam train with a team-first mentality. Their camps aren’t about individual fame — they’re about collective growth.
Fighters like Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Abubakar Nurmagomedov all push each other daily.
They spar hard but without ego. If one loses a round, they reset and go again.
This environment eliminates complacency. No one can take shortcuts when surrounded by elite fighters who live and breathe the same values.
Final Thoughts
So, how does Islam Makhachev train like Khabib?
He follows the same blueprint:
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Dagestani discipline.
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Mountain conditioning.
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Wrestling and sambo fundamentals.
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Faith-based mental strength.
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A relentless focus on control and composure.
But Islam has taken that foundation and made it more efficient — more scientific, more technical, and perfectly adapted to modern MMA.
Khabib built the system.
Islam perfected it.
And that’s why, even after Khabib’s retirement, the Dagestani dominance continues — alive and evolving through Islam Makhachev.
