Female bantamweight star Ailin Perez made quite an impression of herself last weekend at UFC Paris. The women’s bantamweight fighter put on a dominating performance and defeated her opponent via submission. After the fight, he didn’t hesitate to compare her with lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Ailin Perez had a tough time making the weight last weekend ahead of her fight against Darya Zheleznyakova. She was visibly shaking during the weigh-ins but turned out well in the fight. She not only submitted her opponent but also twerked on her. After the fight, during a post-fight interview, Perez revealed that she’s the Khabib Nurmagomedov of the UFC women’s roster due to her wrestling prowess.
Is there any doubt? I’m the Khabib Nurmagomedov of the women’s divisions. Every single fight that I’ve had in the UFC, I’ve taken the fighters down. That shows it.
Ailin Perez via UFC Paris post-fight presser
Perez also mentioned the same on her X account, saying that she ‘Khabib’d’ her opponent. The Argentine made her UFC debut two years ago and is 4-1 in the promotion. She is ranked #15 in the division and looks forward to moving up. However, she is mostly famous for her antics outside the octagon. Perez is an OnlyFans model who is well known for her twerking celebrations.
I Khabib’d the Russian and then twerken on her 🐐🇦🇷🏆😱 #UFCParis #AilinNurmagomedov pic.twitter.com/gGvWXEynF4
— Ailín “Fiona” 👑 Pérez (@AiluPerezUFC) September 28, 2024
The female fighter has received criticism for both of these things, but it doesn’t bother her. Perez claims to promote art rather than po*nography. While Khabib Nurmagomedov would ordinarily be proud of someone who draws inspiration from him, the same might not be true for Perez. Given Nurmagomedov’s beliefs, it’s not difficult to picture his reaction after seeing Perez.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s reaction to women in UFC
Khabib Nurmagomedov, a practicing Muslim, follows Islamic rules regarding physical contact with the opposing gender, which includes a handshake. He adheres to his religious norm, which is typical in many Muslim communities. This approach emphasizes modesty and respecting personal limits in accordance with his values.
Khabib Nurmagomedov with women (via X)Nurmagomedov has given numerous interviews and interacted with women but never touched anyone. The ‘Eagle’ has also spoken out about how females should not fight, for which he has received outrage. Furthermore, his statements regarding ring girls being ‘useless’ have also earned him considerable criticism.
I don’t want to offend anyone [but] ring girls are the most useless people in martial arts. What is their function? Just put the number of rounds on the screen. I realize there is a history. History knows many mistakes… If we look in the history, it says they are useless
Khabib Nurmagomedov via a Moscow press conference
Despite the controversy, Nurmagomedov has never backed down from his stance. According to Dagestani, his views were passed down to him by his family, and he wants to continue them. The Hall of Famer also wants to keep his wife and children out of the spotlight and doesn’t want to make them famous at an early age.
