"Are Khabib and I psychologically damaged?" - Islam Makhachev will take up the strict route when it comes to raising his children

Dagestani fighters, led by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, have long set the gold standard in MMA for discipline and determination. Makhachev, for one, intends to instill the same values in his children, even if it means taking the tougher approach to parenting.

Makhachev and Nurmagomedov had a strict upbringing. 'The Eagle' once even endured a 30-minute, physically grueling punishment from his father, the late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, after he lied to him.

Makhachev intends to uphold the same methods once practiced by his and Nurmagomedov's fathers. In a recent video on the UFC YouTube channel, he can be seen discussing how he'd raise his children:

"I’ll be just as strict with my kids as my father was with me. Nowadays, these psychologists say you shouldn’t yell at a kid. That you can’t slap them on the backside. They say it damages their psyche. Are Khabib and I psychologically damaged? Both our fathers were very strict. It’s the other way around."

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Makhachev believes his humble roots instilled in him priceless values missing in many young fighters today:

"I'm actually glad I went through those tough years living on the base. Those memories are priceless. Nowadays, if there is no hot water, some of the young guys refuse to train. There was never an excuse for us."

Check out Islam Makhachev's comments below:

The Dagestani will next be seen at UFC 322, where he'll face reigning champion Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title.

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Jack Della Maddalena says he has some "tricks" to deal with Islam Makhachev's grappling

While many view Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev as a striker vs. grappler match-up, the Australian doesn't subscribe to this narrative. Nevertheless, Della Maddalena says he has some tricks up his sleeve if the fight does hit the mat.

Speaking with Israel Adesanya about the UFC 322 fight, the 29-year-old claimed that his ground game is underrated and he has some tricks of his own to get back up to the feet if the sambo maestro forces a takedown:

"Islam is more than just a grappler. Obviously, he is one of the best MMA guys, but yeah, I think [my grappling] is pretty underrated. A lot of people just think he'll be able to hold me down, but yeah, I think I've got some tricks to get up." [16:55 minutes into the interview]

Edited by Ujwal Jain