Khabib Nurmagomedov was given a hero's welcome on return to Russia following his victory over Conor McGregor.

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was welcomed home by no fewer than 10,000 cheering fans at the Anzhi Arena in Dagestan earlier today.

The scene was captured by RT.com reporter Denis Geyko, who was amongst the crowd welcoming home the UFC lightweight champion.

“I prayed to God for one thing, to be left alone in the cage with this clown. I asked him this every day,” Nurmagomedov said via a microphone to the crowd. “I prayed that we would have no injuries, that we would make weight, and regain our strength, and finally be locked in that cage. Because a lot was said outside that cage, and I said that once that Octagon door is shut, I am not responsible for my actions.”

Nurmagomedov then touched upon some of the political and social elements of his feud with McGregor and explained how he wanted to teach the Irishman a lesson inside the Octagon.

“The first thing I wanted to show him, is the difference between our people, and his people. “We know our history, our ancestors, and what our people have been through. Nothing can break us,” he continued.

Referring to the events that took place after the fight, the UFC lightweight champion stopped short of apologising.

“And with what happened afterwards, some people say I did the wrong thing, others that I did the right thing,” he said. “You can’t confine an eagle to a cage and I showed them that.”

According to Geyko, fans then invaded the pitch hoping to get closer to Nurmagomedov who was speaking via microphone on a podium.

The UFC lightweight champion then requested they return to their seats.

Check out the videos below:

Khabib Nurmagomedov did finally receive the #UFC lightweight belt, which Dana White refused to give him after the post-fight brawl with Conor McGregor’s team. Here he is lifting it to his fans at his homecoming in Dagestan @TeamKhabib @TheNotoriousMMA #KhabibMcGregor pic.twitter.com/O31xd0Xkyd — Danny Armstrong (@DannyWArmstrong) October 8, 2018