Khabib says fighters lost sponsors over Palestine support
Former UFC champion says he and other Dagestani athletes lost contracts after speaking out on Gaza
MOSCOW (MNTV) — Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov said he and several other fighters from Dagestan, a mostly Muslim region of southern Russia, lost sponsorship deals after publicly supporting Palestinians.
Speaking at a fan event in New Jersey, Nurmagomedov said UFC champion Islam Makhachev, Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov, and others on their team also lost contracts.
He described Israel’s conduct toward Palestinians as genocide and urged athletes not to stay silent despite the cost.
“When you post about this, you lose contracts, you lose sponsorships,” he said.
“We also lost a lot of money. But compared to a human life, money is nothing.”
Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated and remains one of the sport’s most prominent Muslim figures, said speaking out matters more than the financial consequences, and called on other public figures to do the same.
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