Coaches Shakh (left) and Kavkaz say a Maghrib prayer before the dinner in Kavkaz's house in Darvag, Republic of Dagestan, Russia. Religion plays an integral part in Muslim sportsmen life. Shakh says the single most important thing in the world is faith, his words in unison with the Khabib's quote written on the walls of the gym where they train: "The key to success is always [religious] faith and hard work". Around 95% of all the people that live in Republic of Dagestan follow the teaching of Islam, and children are being involved in the spiritual rituals from the early age. In the month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast, some boys would ask permission to be excused from training. While a Muslim is forbidden from hitting another person in the face, various sports which involve direct hits still attract attention of Dagestani people, MMA being the most popular and controversial of all of them.