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Khabib: ‘Real deal’ Islam Makhachev needs to call people out to get title shot

If there is one contrast between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, it’s their brand of self-promotion. Makhachev isn’t known to be the same animated, quotable speaker as “The Eagle,” and prefers to let his fighting do the talking.

But for Khabib, drumming up interest by being vocal is equally important.

“He have to talk. He have to call people (out). Because he’s the real deal. How many, like, bums we see? They all the time call someone (out) and all media talk about them. But Islam is the real deal,” Khabib told Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark.