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Linking to Sherdog stream this time. Sherdog can be jealous.
Khabib did a virtual media day. Some questions and answers came in Russian. Here's translation for you. The question about low kicks is among questions from 3rd journalist.
Khabib first question in Russian:
Asks about conditions for Khabib in UAE.
- He has a big hotel room with own gym inside.
- Crown prince allows Khabib and team to stay and train at his residence. Whole team getting 1:st class treatment.
- Khabib worried about younger guys who followed with him, they are still 21-22 year old kids and he doesn't want them to get used to the luxuries. Says when he was 22 he had nothing.
Second Russian question from Match TV
Did Abdulmanap say anything about Gaethje before he passed?
- Discussed all top 10 fighters with father. He though Islam was gonna fight him first.
- Father didn't think Gaethje was gonna get to Khabib.
- Everything changes fast and now he's my opponent, but father always spoke well of him.
Are you happy fighting once a year even though you not always chose this?
- Wants to fight more, time flies by fast. Turned 32 years in September.
How many times have you KOd anyone in training? Many people discuss your striking.
- Khabib been striking since 15 years old.
- Never been hurt or bruised in striking.
- Can strike and not worried about striking.
- In future people will discuss how in so many fights he never got caught by a meaningful punch.
Third question from Sport-Express
Why did you refuse to partake in Ultimate fighter TV-show?
- Didn't refuse anything, but I have a fight ahead and there is no sense in discussing what will happen after the fight. I never do that.
- You can not look past your next opponent.
Everybody knows about Gaethjes dangerous low kicks. How are you working to counter that? Is it comparable to Barboza fight where you neutralised his kicks with pressure.
-How do you angle this camera, I want to show you something. (Khabib shows bruising on his legs from sparring)
Timestamped:
WOW
- That's just so you don't get nervous about me. I'm working on it as the best fighter in the world would work at it. My leg has to be made of steel come 24th of October.
Who is working on that leg for you?
-
The whole team is working on that leg. I just want you to know that I understand completely about that leg kick threat. I have fought many good kickers before.
- Barboza was probably the best kicker in the division.
- I'm always prepared for my opponents strong suits.
You dropped your opponents twice with uppercuts, and Justin got dropped with uppercut last fight. Are you preparing any combos with uppercut?
- Why are you revealing my plan?
- It's a good punch to combine with the wrestling threat. You feint a take down and drop a little and go up with an uppercut. People expect a takedown from me. As a wrestler I have strong explosive legs and I am strong when I explode up, that's why this punch suits me.
- I have many different tools in my arsenal, I'm taking this fight seriously.
You showed a different style against Poirier. You attacked him and tried to finish him with submissions instead of your usual GnP. Does it mean you are changing and evolving?
- I keep improving my striking as well as my grappling.
- That fight showed that even my ground game keeps improving and I'm adding new stuff to my game.
- Some people think that I have a great ground game and I don't need to improve my ground game, but I think they are wrong. Yes I need to improve my striking, but need to keep improving my best weapons as well.
- You can look at my ground skills, they are improving with every fight.
What's the best submission to use against Gaethje?
- I have good guillotine and kimura, RnC. Let's see if I can get one.
- A guillotine I think. I want ot make him tired and choke him out with it.
- I'm still have a lot to show in this department, I still haven't show all my tricks in UFC. I'm capable of a lot more when it comes to submissions.
About Zuba's fight
- Told Zuba this fight can go either way.
- Second round could go both ways.
- Third round Zuba lost for sure. In close fight like this the judges always look at your performance in the last round.
- No point discussing this and make excuses. It is what it is.
- Want Zuba to return in January. He needs another fight and get back to work.
Last question, In the Poirier fight in the second round he hit you with 2 good shots. Was it your mistake or did Poirier manage to trick you into it? Do you think Gaethje is more dangerous striker than Poirier?
- No I don't think so, because Poirier KOd him.
- About Poiriers punches, look I am competing with the best fighters in the world. He is not some guy in the regionals, he's one of the best fighters in the world.
- He landed those shots because of his skills which he shows every fight.
- I am also a human being, I am hittable as well as anyone.
Khabib did a virtual media day. Some questions and answers came in Russian. Here's translation for you. The question about low kicks is among questions from 3rd journalist.
Khabib first question in Russian:
Asks about conditions for Khabib in UAE.
- He has a big hotel room with own gym inside.
- Crown prince allows Khabib and team to stay and train at his residence. Whole team getting 1:st class treatment.
- Khabib worried about younger guys who followed with him, they are still 21-22 year old kids and he doesn't want them to get used to the luxuries. Says when he was 22 he had nothing.
Second Russian question from Match TV
Did Abdulmanap say anything about Gaethje before he passed?
- Discussed all top 10 fighters with father. He though Islam was gonna fight him first.
- Father didn't think Gaethje was gonna get to Khabib.
- Everything changes fast and now he's my opponent, but father always spoke well of him.
Are you happy fighting once a year even though you not always chose this?
- Wants to fight more, time flies by fast. Turned 32 years in September.
How many times have you KOd anyone in training? Many people discuss your striking.
- Khabib been striking since 15 years old.
- Never been hurt or bruised in striking.
- Can strike and not worried about striking.
- In future people will discuss how in so many fights he never got caught by a meaningful punch.
Third question from Sport-Express
Why did you refuse to partake in Ultimate fighter TV-show?
- Didn't refuse anything, but I have a fight ahead and there is no sense in discussing what will happen after the fight. I never do that.
- You can not look past your next opponent.
Everybody knows about Gaethjes dangerous low kicks. How are you working to counter that? Is it comparable to Barboza fight where you neutralised his kicks with pressure.
-How do you angle this camera, I want to show you something. (Khabib shows bruising on his legs from sparring)
Timestamped:
WOW
- That's just so you don't get nervous about me. I'm working on it as the best fighter in the world would work at it. My leg has to be made of steel come 24th of October.
Who is working on that leg for you?
-
The whole team is working on that leg. I just want you to know that I understand completely about that leg kick threat. I have fought many good kickers before.- Barboza was probably the best kicker in the division.
- I'm always prepared for my opponents strong suits.
You dropped your opponents twice with uppercuts, and Justin got dropped with uppercut last fight. Are you preparing any combos with uppercut?
- Why are you revealing my plan?
- It's a good punch to combine with the wrestling threat. You feint a take down and drop a little and go up with an uppercut. People expect a takedown from me. As a wrestler I have strong explosive legs and I am strong when I explode up, that's why this punch suits me.
- I have many different tools in my arsenal, I'm taking this fight seriously.
You showed a different style against Poirier. You attacked him and tried to finish him with submissions instead of your usual GnP. Does it mean you are changing and evolving?
- I keep improving my striking as well as my grappling.
- That fight showed that even my ground game keeps improving and I'm adding new stuff to my game.
- Some people think that I have a great ground game and I don't need to improve my ground game, but I think they are wrong. Yes I need to improve my striking, but need to keep improving my best weapons as well.
- You can look at my ground skills, they are improving with every fight.
What's the best submission to use against Gaethje?
- I have good guillotine and kimura, RnC. Let's see if I can get one.
- A guillotine I think. I want ot make him tired and choke him out with it.
- I'm still have a lot to show in this department, I still haven't show all my tricks in UFC. I'm capable of a lot more when it comes to submissions.
About Zuba's fight
- Told Zuba this fight can go either way.
- Second round could go both ways.
- Third round Zuba lost for sure. In close fight like this the judges always look at your performance in the last round.
- No point discussing this and make excuses. It is what it is.
- Want Zuba to return in January. He needs another fight and get back to work.
Last question, In the Poirier fight in the second round he hit you with 2 good shots. Was it your mistake or did Poirier manage to trick you into it? Do you think Gaethje is more dangerous striker than Poirier?
- No I don't think so, because Poirier KOd him.
- About Poiriers punches, look I am competing with the best fighters in the world. He is not some guy in the regionals, he's one of the best fighters in the world.
- He landed those shots because of his skills which he shows every fight.
- I am also a human being, I am hittable as well as anyone.
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