President Trump’s Khabib Admiration Explained

President Trump’s admiration for Khabib Nurmagomedov was the focus of a recent account from Ali Abdelaziz, who explained why he believes the President is such a strong supporter of the former UFC lightweight champion. Abdelaziz made the comments during an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound Show with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, where he recalled asking President Trump why he liked Nurmagomedov so much. According to Abdelaziz, the answer pointed to Nurmagomedov’s place in President Trump’s own book.

The detail is notable because it goes beyond a general expression of appreciation for an MMA fighter. Abdelaziz said President Trump told him, “I put him in my book,” when asked about his fondness for Nurmagomedov. The source does not identify the book or provide further details about how Nurmagomedov was included, so the reported explanation should be understood narrowly: Abdelaziz presented that remark as President Trump’s reason for being a particularly enthusiastic fan. His description was emphatic, calling President Trump the “biggest Khabib” fan. Nurmagomedov’s standing supplies useful context for the exchange. The source identifies him as a former UFC lightweight champion and describes him as one of the greatest fighters to enter the octagon. It also says he has more than 44 million Instagram followers, making him the second most-followed MMA star on the platform, behind only Conor McGregor by a couple of million. Those details help show why admiration for Nurmagomedov carries weight in the wider MMA conversation, while Abdelaziz’s comments keep the immediate story centered on President Trump’s personal regard for him.

What Abdelaziz said about President Trump

Abdelaziz framed the matter as a direct conversation about President Trump’s connection to Nurmagomedov. “He is the biggest Khabib fan,” Abdelaziz said, before recounting his question: “Why you like him so much?” Abdelaziz then attributed a concise answer to President Trump: “I put him in my book.” The appearance centers on Abdelaziz’s account of the President’s admiration for the former UFC lightweight champion. It does not announce a new UFC event, a planned appearance, or a formal role for President Trump in the sport. Instead, the focus is a reported personal appreciation for Nurmagomedov. The source also highlights qualities associated with Nurmagomedov’s popularity, including work ethic, humility and fierce competence. Those descriptions provide the surrounding explanation offered in the material for why he is widely liked. Abdelaziz’s anecdote adds President Trump to that group of admirers and gives a specific reason attributed to the President rather than leaving the support as a vague celebrity endorsement.

President Trump was also linked by Abdelaziz to another prominent UFC name in an earlier comment referenced in the source. Abdelaziz said UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje is another fighter President Trump loves. Recalling the way President Trump spoke to Gaethje, Abdelaziz said he was struck by the interaction and believed the President admired and respected the champion. That earlier observation broadens the limited picture supplied by Abdelaziz without changing the main subject of this report. President Trump’s reported support for Nurmagomedov is the central development, and the Gaethje reference serves as supporting context for Abdelaziz’s view that the President follows and values high-profile MMA athletes. It also separates two different claims: the Nurmagomedov account includes the reported book remark, while the Gaethje account concerns Abdelaziz’s impression of how President Trump spoke to him. For readers, the practical takeaway is that Abdelaziz supplied a specific explanation for President Trump’s affection for Nurmagomedov, rather than merely stating that the President was a fan. The available material does not add details beyond that explanation, but it does place the remark alongside Nurmagomedov’s documented profile as a former champion with a massive social-media audience.

Nurmagomedov context and the Gaethje mention

Nurmagomedov remains the figure at the center of President Trump’s reported admiration. The source’s career context identifies him as a former UFC lightweight champion and notes his more than 44 million Instagram followers. It also places him second among MMA stars on the platform, with McGregor ahead by only a couple of million followers. Abdelaziz’s separate Gaethje comments came in the same broader discussion. He later predicted that Gaethje could fight Islam Makhachev, identified in the source as the welterweight champion, if Gaethje chose that matchup. That prediction is not connected to President Trump’s comments on Nurmagomedov, and it should not be treated as a confirmed fight. Its relevance here is limited to the source’s additional reference to President Trump’s reported respect for Gaethje.

• President Trump’s reported reason for admiring Nurmagomedov: Abdelaziz said the President told him, “I put him in my book.”
• Nurmagomedov’s source-supported context: he is a former UFC lightweight champion with more than 44 million Instagram followers.

Abdelaziz’s account gives President Trump’s reported admiration for Nurmagomedov a clear, specific basis: the President allegedly pointed to having included the former champion in his book. The available material does not provide further information about that book, but it does establish the scope of the story. President Trump’s appreciation is presented as personal and emphatic, while Nurmagomedov’s former championship status and enormous following explain why the exchange resonates within UFC coverage.

Sources: LowKick MMA