I just want to say first of all uh alhamdulillah thanks god you know he like uh lot of people a lot of people underestimate one things when they become famous when they become rich when they become success they all beginning talk about oh you know this is because of my mindset this is because of I work hard this is because My business mind is very smart, you know. I'm very strong guy. I can handle anything in the world, you know.
That's why I become like very success, you know. For example, they all talk talk about this. But what about other millions and millions people around the world who work so hard but they don't have this position what I have?
It mean this is test from Allah. This is test from God. He give you this.
He want to test you how you going to handle this, you know. And uh don't make this mistake guys. Everything come from God, you know.
Thank you. Like I remember I grew up in very small village with very poor life you know and uh my father he bring us from village. He sell his house, he sell our house and he bring me, my brother, my cousins like it was like almost 15 people from village to capital city.
He rent very big house and uh we all was living together. We was eat together. It was like going school come back training come back just father try to invest everything what they have time energy money he invest us he invest us in from this house he's become six world champion UFC champion you know a lot of champions and very good people because father invest everything what we have he give us good education And uh you know it's like he give us good opportunity to learn in good schools university you know he invest everything what he have all his life he was doing he was investing people and you know this is very big motivation for me even now when I'm finished like uh right now I'm trying to invest people invest my close people because this is best investment you know I can live I can live for myself.
I can do whatever I want in the world. I can buy any house in the world. But this is don't give me good energy.
This is like this is not who I am. This is not what my father teach me, you know. And I'm very happy about this because like I remember like 10 years ago my mind was completely different.
Oh, I'm going to become champion. I'm going to become rich. I'm going to buy everything.
But like everything what happened last two years this is changed my mind and change uh the way I was thinking you know it was 3rd July 2020 2 years ago almost 2 years ago after couple years it's going to be 2 years father is not with me you know it's very hard time right now staying here and talk talk about him you know it's very emotional for me but And [Music] it was I have very good amateur career. I become twotime Russian champion, twotime world champion in combat sambbo. I was compete everywhere.
I remember when I grew up father father make me compete like freestyle wrestling, great karuman, pancration, grappling, amateur MMA, combat even he make me like wrestle with the beers you know this is like this is this is how he teach me. This is how he tried to teach me because he always tell me when you're going to go to big arena you can handle any any pressure. You can handle any pressure when you go to the big arena but right now you have to work hard.
And I remember when I asked him when I was young I was very young maybe like six 7 years old I remember it was like lesson for all my life. I asked him money. He say okay I'm going to give you money but you have to deserve this.
You think I'm going to give you everything what you want. No you have to deserve this. You know it's like it was very big lesson like even like backstage I was talk with DC I know he want his son become world champion and he winning like one like gold around his neck.
I'm like DC you buy this for him. He's like yes I love him but this is not about love. Make him hungry.
Make him hungry. [Applause] I know here is like a lot of fathers and uh millions people watching us on TV, YouTube like everywhere like if you guys want to like give good like maners education they become success don't give him everything what they want. You guys have to show by yourself.
By yourself is this like be example for your kids. This is very important. Lot of lot of parents like lot of fathers they just told their sons okay don't go there don't do this do this be on this way.
No you have to be on good way and your son going to follow you or your daughter going to follow you. Your kids going to follow you. Just be example for your kids.
You know this is my advice for all fathers and mothers. [Applause] It was 2008 when I beginning my professional career and uh at day time I didn't know even on this sport they have like uh records sher dog like people watch how many fight win how many fight lose I didn't know I don't even know this I remember when first time I realized this like someone tell me hey you know it was 2009 I think you know your record is 5-0 and some people who have 5 and0 and 6 and0 they compete in UFC. I'm like 5 and0.
Okay, I'm going to check this. I check. I'm like, okay, 5 and0.
What about if I become 10 and0? Maybe I can compete in UFC. At that time, it was no fighter in UFC from Russia.
It was no fighter long time. And I become 16 and all in UFC sign me. I was first fighter from Russia and a lot of people in my country was watching.
Okay. like more than 10 years nobody from our country compete in Russia and now we're going to watch how we going to deal with this lot of coaches lot of like managers fighters they watch and uh January 2012 I make my debut in UFC and I finish my opponent and after that UFC understand they have to watch to this area and bring some good fighters from there you know and I'm very happy I was I was first guy uh for a lot of fighters who come after me in United States. [Applause] They put here any stories about UFC fighting in UFC debut.
I don't know. Uh it's like it was like a lot of stories, you know. Like for example, I'm going to tell one crazy story like I supposed to fight.
I supposed to fight in Nashville, Tennessee, 20th January and it was January 5th and I didn't have visa and uh they called me you have to go Moscow you have tomorrow you have to be in US embassy January 6 I'm like when tomorrow okay I try to buy tickets no tickets no flight because I have to fly almost 3 hours from Pakistan to Moscow and uh I use my connection and you know how I guys how I fly I I fly in cabin with pilots they put like small chair it was my crazy experience you know I'm not going to say what airlines it was but I fly with pilots because like because all Dagistan was waiting for my debut you know what three big injuries. Okay, let's talk about injuries. 2014 when I have like when I just beat Rafael Dosanos, I turn my ACL.
This is like crazy injuries. It's like very bad injure. I turn my ACL.
After that, I try to come back. Almost one year I recover. Try to come back.
I turn again ACL. One more year. After that I tried to come back again I broke my ribs half year you know it's like and it was very difficult time for me you know I remember when I was talking with my father maybe it's like maybe I'm going to maybe maybe I should like retired what do you think like because I'm tired again again soldier surgery you know and he say like uh if you want to give up you can give up this is your choice you can do whatever you want but how you going to give up like so many years we were working together like and you like only 26 years old.
I remember myself when I was 26 and 33 this is too different you know like my prime time it was 32 33 your time's going to come but you cannot give up you know and this give me like crazy motivation I never give up I never even remember I give up in training top or like in amateur career professional career in the gym Never in my life. A lot of people ask me, "You proud of something? " I'm very proud of.
I never give up. Thank you so much. [Applause] [Music] Okay.
Meeting with Ali. Okay. Becoming champ.
First time I meet with Ali. Uh it was 2014. uh after when I get injured like Ali called me like you know like UFC worry about me not Ali it was Rizwan it was Rizwan his assistant is very big part of my successor Rizswan and Assad bring me to Ali they introduced me he said like Fittita and Donna they want to take care of you because like you 22 and all you six and only UFC right now you have big injury you have to do like you have to be like professional, you need rehab.
I'm like before I never get like some big injured. I'm like what is this Rahab? What are you talking about?
Like I didn't know this. I have to do like almost one year rehab. They bring me me here to Las Vegas.
They take care me. They pay me for all my rent, car, house, food, my rehab. They they they bring me back, you know.
Thank you so much. Thank you for Lorenzo Fertittita. Thank you for Dana.
Thank you who signed me. Joe Silva. I remember I know he retired.
He played too much video games. But anyways, I remember you Joe Silva and um [Music] becoming champion. What it mean?
Okay. legacy. >> It was It was 2018.
It was 2018. April 6 or 7, I don't remember. Like like one one week.
Uh it was 1st April. Ali called me. He said, "Tony, Tony Ferguson is out.
" I'm like, "Okay, it's good job. Good job. Today is first April.
" He said, "No, no, I swear. " I'm like okay again like but then news coming I'm like okay maybe UFC joke like okay he's out and one week before my title fight and they try to find for me opponent and everybody said no it's too early for us fight with Khadib we need training camp 2 months prepare for his wrestling blah blah blah and even even when I make way like I remember like because All night I didn't sleep. Ali come to me.
We try to find out. I said brother I'm going to sleep now. Please wake me up when you have opponent.
Don't tell me name just tell me you have opponent and that's it. Because if I want to become champion doesn't matter who you want to become world champion. You want to call yourself world champ.
Who cares who's going to be your opponent? Oh sit home enjoy with your life. But if you want to step in the it's not the octagon and you want to become world champion, it doesn't matter who is your opponent.
I remember in way I told her, okay, bring King Kong. If he can make 155, I'm going to fight with him. [Applause] What legacy means to you?
Okay. much and I want I don't want to forget about now we're going to talk about my life when I move US you know I just want to say thank you so much Javier Mendes you know where's coach he's not here now you film it like always like I remember when I first time stepped to the AKA like I didn't know English. I don't know nobody in California.
I'm like I come hi my name is Habib. I'm like I remember before I walk I'm like please don't give me like questions because I'm going to say to you my name and stay quiet. You know I just come this guy try to talk with me.
I'm like okay okay okay. I act like I know English you know. And you know it's like what's funny after that almost 2 years I was doing sparring and coach Javier told me always relax and I think relax mean okay go hard go hard you know it's like and I always go hard and it's like and coach think I am little bit crazy you know it's like because when always he tell me like hey relax I go hard you know because I didn't understand nothing.
Then I tried to learn English, you know, and right now I am hope you guys understand what I'm talking about and you know like in media day like couple hours ago they ask me who deserve who deserve be in hall of fame. What do you think? Pick one guy.
I pick Javier Mendes. I'm going to tell you why. I'm going to tell you why, guys.
Since since 2010 to 2020, 10 years, he have always some champions on his gym. You know, every year it was Ken Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, myself in all 10 years, you you guys can come in a K and find UFC champion. Nobody did this like in history you know and u thank you thank you coach for trust thank you coach for support for being with me all my career when I moved to US without my father you know I need like some mentor like father of course you you not like you not my father but you become like almost like my father you know because you support me always You believe me, you trust me and I'm very happy we have great relationship with you and with your family.
Thank you. [Applause] Okay, Ali is here too. Like you know what's funny between me and Ali?
Like we all used to listen like how managers treat very bad day athletes but what between me and you you know I own him money I have to give him money you know it's not like like you don't have to give I have to give I'm I swear guys this is true I have to give this this guy money you know it's like his his cre his kids they grew up on my hands you know I'm very happy I have brother like him and um and not only me like all his fighters he take care of them like his kids and he have very big heart you know thank you brother thank you so much do I talk too much talk too much no if you guys tired I'm going to leave you alone just tell me >> okay Maybe you guys want I talk about something like uh little bit my head go crazy. This is very emotional day for me. They don't write much for me here.
>> Okay, we talk about sparring partners. Okay, let's go. Uh all my life I have almost same sparring partners, you know, almost same, you know, and I'm very happy now when I finish my career.
I feel like I have to be with them. I have to share with them with my energy, with my knowledge, with my time, you know, because they was very big part of my success, you know. And um right now what I'm doing, you guys believe me like if nothing happen next four, five years, we're going to have three more UFC champions from our gym.
Believe me guys, you're going to see this. You guys, you guys say you guys can save this video and you guys going to understand what I'm talking about. And uh this is crazy.
This is crazy. Like how father like make you know like any any coaches like if he if he create like champions back to back like in a white one division you know it's like Islam is very close to be UFC lightweight champion. I know maybe Brazilian fans don't like this but who cares you know Islam is very close.
Islam is very very close. I know like long time ago even it was like maybe 10 years ago father was Islam was my father favorite student he was like very favorite student that I know I'm his son and when I watch all students Islam was his favorite student and he always tell me you three years older than me when you become champion when you become little bit full your fire your hungry little bit go down Islam going to come up I was like what are you talking about? But right now, look, I was champion.
I defend my title three time. I finish Islam right now is like 10 win streak in UFC. One of the biggest win streak in UFC history.
And I really believe I really believe he going to become champion. Why I talk about Islam? Because this is my father legacy and I really want he become champion.
And we have one more contender Umar in bantamweight division. You know, I really believe he he can become champion. You guys going to see me like a lot next couple years.
I'm not going to let you guys miss me. You know, I'm going to be there very close to very close to cage and you know screaming on someone. You guys going to see me.
You guys going to see me couple more years in. Do I forget something? [Music] >> Okay.
location >> about location where I'm living I'm living in in Dagistan in like in village in my village I have home there always when I go back I living there I love this even I come out from village but village stay inside me you know this is how we joke in Dagistan and I want to say thank you so much who signed me in UFC it was not Ali it was different management company it was I Constantino, Sam Cardan, it was Murat Keshto, it was Eldar, they helped me. They was very big part of this signing, you know. I just was training.
They doing other stuff, you know. They was doing other stuff and just I just I I don't want to forget them. Thank you guys.
I don't forget like anything if someone doing for me like I never forget. At least I try. Thank you so much guys.
If you guys want to talk about something, tell me. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] It it was it was it was very very big honor, brother. It was very big honor.
This is like stay here inducted in UFC Hall of Fame, you know. like uh this is very big on I'm very happy and same time this is very emotional day for me. Thank you so much guys.
[Applause] [Music] Oh, [Music] hey. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat.
[Music] Heat. Heat. Heat.
N.
