Luke Rockhold Says Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants to Coach Him for UFC Return

Luke Rockhold has been talking about making a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship in recent months, and he could have one of his American Kickboxing Academy teammates in his corner if that becomes a reality.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, Rockhold revealed that retired former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has talked about coaching him for his next bout. After several attempts at getting Nurmagomedov to come back to the Octagon, the UFC finally acknowledged his retirement and officially vacated the lightweight belt last week.

“He’s assuming this coaching role now. He’s going off on me, wanting to coach me. He wants to be a big part of my comeback so it’s pretty funny to see Khabib assume this role,” Rockhold said. “He’s going for ‘Coach of the Year.’ That’s what he wants. He wants to be the next great thing, follow in his dad’s footsteps. That’s what his dad always did. His dad was always insightful and always had a good eye for the sport and I think Khabib is ready to assume that role.”

Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, died last year due to complications related to COVID-19. The elder Nurmagomedov was a renowned MMA coach and significant influence in his son’s fighting career. Based on what he’s seen from Khabib, Rockhold believes the former title holder can make the transition to coaching quite well.

“Of course he can be a good coach,” Rockhold said. “It’s like, sometimes you have to put yourself aside. Even if you know a lot, it’s better to be guided, like a mindless training if you trust in your coach, someone to direct you and put you in the right way, because no matter how much you know, sometimes you’ve got to step back and let somebody else direct the situation.

“He knows how to press the pace. The thing with Khabib, he always pressed. The first day he showed up I was like, I like this kid. He showed up by himself and I was like, he works hard. I was like, come with me, let’s do this, and he always pressed me to my limit. That’s what it really takes. You need someone to get on your back, press you, and he knows all the techniques and the routes to do so.”

Rockhold initially targeted a late 2020 return to UFC competition after recovering from shoulder surgery, but that timeline did not come to fruition. He last fought at 205 pounds, suffering a second-round KO loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239 in July 2019. Rockhold plans on returning to middleweight, where he captured titles in both the UFC and Strikeforce, for his next fight.

“I think realistically, I think it’s summer time, late summer return,” Rockhold said. “I’ve got to get my body right. My shoulder has been an ongoing issue but it’s finally coming around and getting to a point where I have confidence in it to let it go. I’m pressing to get in shape and it feels good. It feels good to be back in the gym and I’m getting that fire back.”