Javier Mendez feels that Khabib Nurmagomedov needs to improve his cornering

LockerRoom Team

18 Jun 2024

Javier Mendez believes Khabib Nurmagomedov has some room for improvement in his cornering skills.

The UFC Hall of Famer returned to corner his teammate and protege, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, during his title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 earlier this month. Makhachev successfully submitted Poirier, securing his third title defense.

Mendez feels Nurmagomedov should be more composed while giving instructions.

"He needs to master the corner," Mendez told Helen Yee. "We still need to work on it because he gets a bit too excited, jumping up and down, slamming on the table. I keep telling him, 'Calm down, calm down.' He gets really amped up."

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Mendez, the head coach of American Kickboxing Academy, offered Nurmagomedov some advice on how to improve as a cornerman.

"I told him, 'It's okay to do what you need to do, but just sit down and yell as loud as you can to get your fighter’s attention. You don't need to hit the table or stand up, causing the commission to keep telling us to sit down,'" Mendez said.

"I advised him to scream louder. He asked, 'Coach, how am I going to reach him?' I replied, 'Scream as loud as you can.' You have to say things within reason because with the crowd screaming, the fighter won't hear anything otherwise."