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During CBS’s Champions League final broadcast, UFC icon Khabib Nurmagomedov once again found himself at the centre of cultural conversation—not for his undefeated record in the octagon, but for a quiet moment of religious adherence.
As the post-match panel, hosted by sports anchor Kate Scott, reflected on Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-0 demolition of Bayern Munich, Nurmagomedov joined the live set alongside YouTuber IShowSpeed.
Greeted warmly by the panel including Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, and Thierry Henry he offered firm handshakes all around. But when Scott extended hers, he respectfully declined.
After refusing to shake hands with the female TV presenter, Thierry Henry should have refused to welcome Khabib Nurmagomedov. It would have been a powerful act #UCLpic.twitter.com/cJ0MBCKx8k
— Michaël Pilater (@mikapilater) June 1, 2025
What could have easily turned awkward was instead navigated with calm professionalism. Scott quickly offered a warm apology on-air. “I apologise, thank you so much. Khabib, UFC fighter, it’s a pleasure to have you,” she said, swiftly shifting the conversation to football.
Viewers online quickly lauded Nurmagomedov for remaining true to his values. As a devout Sunni Muslim from Dagestan, he follows a tenet of Islam that forbids physical contact with women outside one’s family.
The act, to many, was more than etiquette; it was a visible expression of religious conviction.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a devout Muslim and a true ambassador of Islam. We admire you for upholding Islamic values, including your respectful stance on avoiding handshakes with women. Much respect, but I wish you were a Barca fan, brother! pic.twitter.com/QwseIv5mdg
— Extraordinary Ustaz 👳🏾♂️📿 (@bapphah) June 1, 2025
Some people see boundaries as threats.
They can’t comprehend that respect in Islam isn’t shown by physical contact, but by restraint, principle, and self-discipline.
We saw this clearly when @TeamKhabib respectfully declined a handshake during a Champions League panel — a…
— Goran Milutinovic (@YouthMLWins) June 1, 2025
refusing to touch another man’s wife is the ultimate respect anyone can give someone
— H 🦅🔭⚽️ (@OrangeMentosSzn) June 1, 2025
The former UFC lightweight champion has long been open about his beliefs, previously refusing to train with female fighters for the same reasons.
While critics may view such decisions through a Western liberal lens, many others see in him a quiet dignity and unwavering spiritual compass.
The moment has since drawn praise from Muslim viewers and conservative commentators, calling Nurmagomedov a “true ambassador of Islam” in the global spotlight an athlete whose faith shapes not only his words, but his every action.
