Exclusive Q&A: Kim Tae-Kyun 'needs to understand that my grappling is on a different level', says Movlid Khaybulaev

Movlid Khaybulaev (24-0-1, 1 NC) will face Kim Tae-Kyun (11-1) in the semi-finals of the PFL world featherweights tournament. A former champion in 2021, Khaybulaev has decided to give it another go. 

DAZN News spoke to the fighter ahead of his next bout. It was an opportunity to discuss the success of the Dagestani fighters.

DAZN News: You won four years ago. Why did you decide to participate in the tournament again?

Movlid Khaybulaev: As everybody knows, a PFL tournament is quite rigorous, especially beforehand. So after I became a champion, I realized that it takes a lot of effort in preparation, so I definitely needed a break. After some time, I recovered and everything, and I feel like it's the proper time for me to come back now.

DN: Before this year, you hadn’t fought for two years. What happened?

MK: Yeah, it’s been a two-year break, and I felt a little bit of rest at the beginning. It’s a lot of downtime, and especially the first fight was a little bit difficult. It took me time to adjust to everything and come back into the tournament. But now I feel better and we’re ready to roll.

DN: What do you think of your opponent?

MK: Yeah, he’s pretty tough. He’s very quick on his feet. He’s really good at striking. Also, he’s pretty decent at wrestling and grappling. But again, you need to understand that in our school, we have high-level professionals. That’s what we train for. This is our thing. And he needs to understand that my grappling is on a different level, and that’s where we’re going to test him.

DN: Any prediction?

MK: I’m always ready to go for a full three rounds. I prepare for everything to put myself out there fully, but we really have to see how the fight unfolds once it begins.

DN: Who do you want in the final? Jesús Pinedo or Gabriel Braga?

MK: I'll just let it play out. I can fight either one. They’re both great fighters. But honestly, I think Pinedo would be a better option because he’s a former champion as well, so I think it’s going to be a great match-up.

DN: You trained at the Nurmagomedov gym. There is Gadzhi Rabadanov and Usman Nurmagomedov in the PFL, and Islam in the UFC. What is the secret?

MK: It all obviously started with Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He started the school. It was all about discipline and hard work. We’ve been training all the time. And then Khabib, obviously, once he became champion, became the leader. Now he’s the main person, making sure everybody’s training hard, everybody’s on time. You see, we have different weight classes. It’s not even just featherweights - there are lightweights too. It’s all about doing the same hard work, repeating it, and staying disciplined. That’s how you achieve greatness.

DN: Who is the toughest fighter from the Nurmagomedov school?

MK: Obviously, Islam, but he comes after Khabib.

DN: If you win the tournament, what is your target? Fight for the champion’s belt?

MK: I think it’s too early to talk about that now. Obviously, right now the main goal is to become the champion of this tournament. We’ve got to finish this job first. Then, whatever plays out, I’m ready for any opening and new opportunities.

DN: Last year, Timur Khizriev won the tournament. Could you fight him one day?

MK: I don’t think that’s a good idea because we train together all the time. We know each other’s styles. We’re close friends. I think PFL has enough great fighters on their roster to find opponents for both me and Timur.

DN: What is the secret of your flying knee?

MK: I always have it ready, and whenever I see an opening in the fight, I use it.

DN: What does it mean for Dagestani fighters to be undefeated?

MK: I wouldn’t say that this is critical to me. Obviously, it’s always great to see a good score, a good record. But to me, it’s more about finishing each fight to the best of my ability, putting myself out there. It’s a fight - somebody loses, somebody wins. But for me, what’s most important is knowing that I gave 100% of myself. It’s hard training, a lot of preparation, a lot of sacrifices. Some people just go out there and try to be a little bit careful or don’t give 100%, and that’s the mistake they make. You always have to give 100% of yourself