Khabib says he, other Muslim MMA fighters lost contracts over Palestine support

New Jersey: Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that he and other Muslim MMA fighters lost contracts and sponsorship opportunities because of their public support for Palestine.

Speaking during a recent talk in New Jersey hosted by the Miftah Institute, Khabib discussed the potential financial consequences of speaking out on the situation in Palestine. He said his support for Palestinians had come at a personal financial cost.

“You think it’s not happening with me? It’s happened with us. We lost money too,” Khabib said.

The former UFC champion, however, stressed that the financial losses were insignificant compared with the suffering and loss of life experienced by Palestinians.

Khabib also said that athletes, celebrities and other public figures with large audiences have a responsibility to speak about issues affecting civilians, even if their contribution is limited to sharing information with their followers.

“Just don’t be quiet,” he said.

Exodus: West Bank hardships drive out Palestinian Christians

Khabib has repeatedly used his public platform to express support for Palestinians and has urged people with influence to raise awareness of their situation.

He said speaking out does not necessarily require a major financial contribution or a large-scale campaign. Instead, he emphasized the importance of refusing to remain silent and using whatever platform one has to draw attention to the suffering of Palestinians.

During the talk, Khabib said that he, Islam Makhachev and Usman Nurmagomedov had lost sponsorship contracts over their support for Palestine.

“Islam and I have lost contracts over Palestine support,” he said.