It seems like two of the top men in their respective fields just ran into each other at the gym in Dubai.
Khabib Numagomedov, the UFC Lightweight Champion, posted a photo of himself and Will Smith, the Grammy-winning musician, Oscar-nominated actor, and all-star dad at the NAS Sports Complex, where Numagomedov has been training over the last few months.
The official NAS Sports Complex account wrote on Instagram after reposting the photo that the two “met and caught up with each other over coffee.” The photo shows assorted Starbucks paraphernalia in the background.
“It was nice to meet you Legend @willsmith,” wrote Numagomedov in the caption. “I’m waiting for you in Degestan.”
Nurmagomedov hails from the Republic of Dagestan in Russia.
Khabib recently was in Abu Dhabi to support his cousin Umar Numagomedov, who fought at UFC Fight Island 8 on January 20 on Yas Island.
“To be honest, I am very happy,” Khabib said to RT Sport following Umar’s victory. “It really feels like a load off my shoulders. It’s a very important win for our team and our family. We will keep working. It would be nice to have one more fight in Las Vegas this March. If not, we will fight after Ramadan. We have plenty of time ahead of us. Umar is just 25. Two more fights this year would be perfect.”
While the reigning champ retired last fall after his father’s tragic death due to complications resulting from Covid-19, there is still some hope he may return to fight in the UFC, though he recently signaled to UFC President Dana White that it is doubtful, with a lack of proper competition in his division.
With the amount of time the two spend in the UAE, it’s perhaps only a surprise they haven’t met sooner. Smith has long been a fan of Dubai, returning again and again to the emirate with various members of his family.
“Dubai dreams the way I dream,” Smith told the press gathered at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai in 2016.
Smith has often crossed off interesting activities from his bucket list in Dubai, including skydiving and skiing down the emirate’s sand dunes, usually with at least one member of his tight-knit family along for the ride.
The father of three has yet to post about his current trip to the emirate, staying off the grid except to grab a picture with the popular UFC champ.
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